Christmas is coming!

Dad is off work from now until after Christmas!...

All my presents that are from the store are safely tucked away in my closet (Note: siblings and parents who read this blog, keep out!)...

All my presents that I'm making have been made, hidden in my sewing area, and I don't plan to visit the sewing machine or pick up a hammer until after Christmas. (...However, there can always be exceptions.)...

...What's left to do?

Let the celebration begin!

Whatever shall I do with myself this coming week?



...I suppose there will be lots to do...

...Tomorrow night is the Christmas service at church. (Must practice more for that; The King's Strings are playing "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen," and "We Three Kings," combined in one song, bluegrass style. Should be fun!)...

...And of COURSE I must wrap presents. Haven't done a thing yet!...

...And on Tuesday there will be pumpkin-cream-cheese rolls to bake. (Traditional Christmas breakfast!)...

...And perhaps we'll go see that living nativity scene with some friends on Christmas Eve...

...And we always read the Christmas story on Christmas Eve...

...And somehow, most importantly, I must find some quiet time this week to just think.

I want to think more about Mary holding God in her womb. I want to think about God taking on flesh. I want to think about what Jesus did; the eternal (if "eternal" means anything to God) consequences of Jesus becoming part of mankind. I want to think about how even human flesh could not hold in the power of Jesus - how it seeped out at times, like when that woman touched the hem of His garment and was healed. I want to think about how Jesus knew about the cross waaaay before He was born - yet He chose to come anyway. I want to think how He was willing to humble Himself. I want to think about the great gulf He crossed by becoming a man. I want to think about how great a difference there is between us and Him.

And I want to think about the why. I want to think about why He did all that. He loved us. He loved me. O the deep, deep, love of Jesus! Love of every love the best! Love unmeasured, boundless, free. Flowing like a mighty ocean in its fullness over me.

...And He loved Himself.

Does that sound odd? But He did! He came to show how wonderful He is. He came to show His mercy and grace, and great love. If He hadn't come, however would we know how great His goodness really is? Hung on that great ugly cross, Jesus displayed a spectacle that shocked history beyond anything a human had ever done. He showed what God was really like.

He came so we would know Him.

Get the emphasis right in that sentence. It's not "He came so that we would know Him." It's "He came so that we would know Him!"

Let Christmas come!