Tis the Season

I feel my once nightly ritual of writing has hit a little bit of a block. Not so much a writer's block as a real life block. I am finding that in this season where so much is being said about Jesus, Advent, joy and peace there is not as much need for my words to add to all the chatter. Instead I am just living life with my family and friends, enjoying celebrations of the season, reliving traditions that are starting to feel established and a part of our story. My days and evenings have been busy, but joyfully so!

Monday night I had dinner with three of my closest friends. It was a beautiful night of laughter and friendship over taco soup. Eight years ago when God brought us to this little town, I could have never imagined the sweet, deep heart friendships He had for me here. I am so grateful.

Tuesday morning, my small group wrapped up the Advent Conspiracy. While the armchair book reviewer in me found it a bit redundant, there were some great conversation starters in that book and an important challenge to think through the way we spend our time and money as we celebrate Jesus' birth. Does it honor Him? It is His birthday afterall...

Yesterday afternoon was spent with a friend whose home had caught fire Sunday night. I went over to help and what she really needed was lunch and conversation. Experiencing such a traumatic event has changed her perspective on family and what really matters.

This morning I spent an hour spread in front of a fire and my Christmas tree sharing life with my accountability partner. After our time I went to Kroger for groceries and experienced a completely disgusting occurrence. My iphone fell out of my coat pocket and into a dirty toilet. As a germaphobe whose primary hang up is public restrooms...I was mortified. I will spare you the play-by-play details, but YUCK!!!!!

This afternoon we reviewed report cards, practiced basketball, went to speech therapy. We did life.

Tonight we celebrated our annual tradition of Christmas Carolling on the trolley with close friends. My friend Beth took my breath away tonight when she said, "Just think, 10-12 years from now we'll be planning this around our kids' college breaks." Oh, how I hope so!

As we were arriving home we received word of another young person succumbing to a terrible battle with cancer. (He was not a friend of ours, but we share friends in common who are utterly heartbroken over his seemingly untimely passing.)

As I sit here tonight and try to make sense of the events of my week so far--sweetness, sorrow, friendship and folly--I can't help but be reminded that THIS is what Christmas is all about. Jesus came for all of it. He left His throne in Heaven and entered in...God with us...Immanuel. He took on human flesh for the experience of friendship, love, loss, germs, family...LIFE.

I am reminded again (and again) the wonder of the season is that we do not serve a 'high priest unable to understand our weaknesses.' We serve a risen Lord who came and met us in this fallen broken world.

Amazing.

We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help. Hebrews 4:15-16 The Message