Christmas 2012

It's Christmas night and I can hear my boys playing in their room. It's getting close to bedtime but right now they are playing sweetly and I'm just going to let them. I'm exhausted, going on 5 hours of sleep last night and I pretty much wake up every hour to roll over. I know my body is getting ready for this baby to be up at all hours of the night, but every hour.. really? So, needless to say, I'm looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow morning. Thankfully, my boys are not early risers. I've trained them well!

The boys finished Truth in Tinsel Tree!

 



We had a wonderful brunch (sounds so fancy, right?) this morning with the grandparents and my sister and brother in law. It's become a fun, family tradition that we all enjoy! After everyone leaves we do nothing! I literally laid in the bed and snoozed and played online all day. My feet needed it! They have been swelling a little, but the past two days they have been especially swollen! Lots of water and lots of rest today has been much needed! The Hubs watched TV and napped, too, while the boys played with all of their new things.

I've been spending my awake hours pondering this thought by Ann Voskamp...
"And if there is no cross in my Christmas, then my Christmas has lost Christ, and what is the manger if it not for the Messiah, the one who saves us with the scars?"


It's from this blog post by Ann from last year. We actually listened to Ann read it after we all had eaten this morning. As a believer, we know that we should daily remember the cross. After all, we're told to die daily to ourselves. But if you're anything like me, that thought often escapes me in my daily busyness. So, I wanted to take the time today, especially today, to remember the cross of Christ. He came to die. That tiny, baby, Immanuel, came to grow into a man that would die a brutal, bloody death. The Word became flesh (John 1:14). Yes, God became one of us, with us. It really is too much to understand. My prayer as I lay down tonight is that I will continue to think upon His death. The cross is not elementary, Christian. It is the gospel that we should daily preach to ourselves. And for those who don't know Him, oh my heart aches. Seek Him while He may be found.

My heart sings tonight of His great love, His closeness, His glory...

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

 

~O Holy Night~