Christmas morning has come quietly in our house. I am the first one awake, and not a creature is stirring; not even our cats. Even though I could be sleeping in, my internal alarm clock pairs with the digital one on my dresser to bring me awake. How often do I get to experience the cozy silence of our sleeping house? I relish it.
Our Christmas celebrations have been spread out over the span of three days this year. Like a bar crawl is our journey from house to house as we drink deeply of family, food, gifts, and togetherness. I am mindful of the gifts of joy and peace as I revel in our holiday celebrations. Fresh in my memory are days when I could not enjoy anything because of the weight of the depression that lay over me. As I celebrate Christmas this year, fresh belief in God and his goodness fill me with more joy and gratitude for the gift of Jesus than I have ever felt in my life. With the gift of his son, God gave me a path to freedom from the fear and depression that threatened to end my life.
I have known about baby Jesus my whole life. Beneath the presents, Santa, vacation from school, parties, and food, he was there. Phrases like, "Jesus is the reason for the season," have been burned into my perception of the holiday since I was born. I don't believe it ever really hit home for me until this year, though. I don't know if anyone who has not been rescued from darkness can see baby Jesus with the same eyes I now have. His birth marks the beginning of my salvation. The life of the baby born on the first Christmas has become my guide for how I treat people, how I perceive the world, and how I view myself. God's love for humanity became flesh when he sent that baby to us. I reap the fruit of that gift on a daily basis, and it is sweet and life-giving. My Christmas is beautiful because of the Christ, and my gifts are lovely because of the great gift God gave to me when he sent his son to save my life. Life is good, and it is a very merry Christmas indeed.
I wish everyone could experience the joy I have found. There is so much pain in the world. There are so many people who cannot enjoy Christmas because it has become a big ball of stress, disappointment, and obligation. So many people still live beneath the weight of depression and fear. My heart aches for them, because I have been there, and it is terrible. How grateful am I that a path to freedom was born for us. I pray that others will find it as I have and experience the new life that is waiting there. God is good, Christmas is merry, and life is waiting. As I leave the peace and quiet of my bed to begin this day, my heart is already full. Merry Christmas!
