Today is my little princess's birthday. Happy Birthday Destiny! I hope you're doing well, sweetheart. I miss you lots.
Two days ago was my little dude's birthday. Jadon is now 2! I bet you're really going now, bubba! I miss you too, and wish I could know you were both thriving and doing well.
I've thought about calling the DHS and asking for an update, but with all of the horror stories that are real life for some kids, I just really don't want to know if theirs is one of them. I'm okay imagining them thriving and loved by some wonderful family.
As we celebrate the birth of Christ, and I eagerly await the birth of my own little gift from God, I have birthdays especially on my mind. Christmas (Jesus's birth) is one of the events that I believe we, as Christians, should celebrate all year round. Sure, it's nice to decorate and make everything festive and pretty, but the reason for celebrating should be ever in our minds.
Yesterday on the way to the Dr's office, we were listening to Josh Groban's Christmas CD. The song "I'll be Home for Christmas" with all of the clips of soldiers wishing their families Merry Christmas, had me in tears. I looked at my sweet husband, who was also blinking back tears, and mentioned that I'm definitely feeling more emotionally tender this year. I started thinking about the fact that these are people who sacrificed spending the holidays with their families so that I could be safe. They don't even know me, yet they sacrificed all that for me? That's amazing! I almost started bawling.
What's more amazing is that our God, Who does know me, and knows just how awful and nasty I am, sacrificed His only Son for me! That's what we're celebrating! That's why we set aside this day every year. I wonder, though, how many of us actually think of this as we enjoy the presents, family get-togethers, holiday foods, and days off. How often are we just sailing through the day, having fun, without ever thinking of the reason of the day? I see the outcry on Facebook to "Keep Christ in Christmas", but how many do? Is saying "Merry Christmas" rather than "Happy Holidays" really keeping Christ in Christmas? Or is it just enough that it soothes our aching consciences as we then forget about our Saviour giving up everything so that we may live?
It was this thought that brought my husband and I to the decision that we don't do a big gift exchange on Christmas. (Because we get each other things all year long whenever we feel like it, we also don't really feel it's necessary to pocus on the gift giving at Christmas.) We might or might not fill stockings, but our goal is for the main focus of our Christmas is to be the birth of Jesus Christ. We could not have Salvation if we did not have Christ's birth. I think this is something to be pondered, and seriously thought of as we travel through the holiday season. There is so much more here to be celebrated than the fact that we get a whole lot more stuff! Not to say that gift giving is wrong in and of itself, only when it is given the number one position and priority. (Also, please note that we don't think less of anyone who decides to exchange gifts on Christmas. This is OUR decision, if you want to do differently, that's fine with us! Have fun and enjoy! :D)
I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and hope that you remember what the holiday is truly about this year as you enjoy the festivities that come with the day. As I am anticipating the birth of my son any day now, I will probably not be updating for a while, and so wish you a Happy New Year too. I hope it is a year full of joy, and a year of Spiritual growth.
