Nothing seems the same this year, not even Christmas.
We all want to be with family at this time of the season.
Donna and her flock are hunkered down in Arkansas playing board games and waiting for Santa to land on their rooftop.
Dwayne and Karen are in their new condo on Lake Norman entertaining Sydney who is working remotely in NC even though she is based in San Francisco.
Sawyer is working on a new job in San Francisco lending his computer insights to a new start up company that he hopes might be the new Amazon.
And we have been blessed with a visit over the past few days from our Virginia people who made a rest stop in Chattanooga on the way to a beach vacation in Destin, and Christmas in Pensacola with Dawn's family.
Doug and his family arrived in two vehicles, with 5 kids, and Roxie, ready for food and games.
L to R David, Doug, Laken, Lucy, Caroline, Drew, and Dawn
Roxie's favorite activity
Since the weather did not cooperate, we spent our time indoors playing table games, watching Virginia Tech Football (beating Virginia AGAIN), and watching the tree being decorated by the grands. As an aside, Carolyn and I found the simple solution to decorating for Christmas...Getting the tree set up, bringing the ornament box to the living room, and letting the kiddos put their skill to work making it festive. It is the only way to go! And they loved it..
Too soon, the visit was over. We had been blessed and the hope that is a staple of Christmas, the love of family, had been played out in our house.
As I read back over what I had written, my thoughts centered around that little four letter word HOPE.
Too often I had heard someone say "2020 has been such a crazy year, I sure hope that 2021 will be easier to deal with.
Or, "I hope this COVID stuff goes away, that the vaccine works, and that we can live normally again."
Then I look toward the Christmas tree and the manger scene that fills the coffee table. There is a hope that we can more than just wish for, a hope that surrounds us with God's love. That is portrayed on the table with shepherds and wise men, just waiting for us to claim the promises of God that are contained therein.
This HOPE is the sure thing, the real deal, and it is available for each of us. Jesus, the Babe in the manger, lived on this earth, was crucified on a wooden cross, dying a death that bought our everlasting life.
We don't have to be trapped in hopping for outcomes in the days ahead that we have no control over. Believe what the Bible tells us about Christmas accept the sacrifice for you, and have a secure hope in your future.
Merry Christmas
and may the fudge tin always stay filled.
