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| Jenny, Steve, Rachel, Hannah, and Justin |
I am sharing some thoughts I had as I composed my Christmas letter this year. Even though Christmas is now over, life isn’t, and these words still hold true. Let’s all think of at least one thing that was a blessing for us this holiday season, and count that as a win. My biggest blessing is Christmas morning. All five of us were once again around the tree taking turns passing out gifts that we had all picked for each other. The preciousness of not only being together but being happy and enjoying each other, my children demonstrating thoughtfulness and generosity to each member of our family, proves to me that I have indeed done something right as a mom.
I personally know people that are really grieving this year, experiencing a loss, a hole in their Christmas. As a person who both hates change and has experienced loss, I understand not the specifics of your situation, but the overwhelming uncertainty and sadness you must feel, and I hurt for you and with you. I pray that someday, somehow, you will see how this piece of your life has been shaped to fit into the bigger picture. I hope that by this time next year, you are starting to heal, but recognize that you will always bear scars and that specific things will trigger your memories and cause you to grieve all over again. May the God of comfort hold you tight and reassure you that you are safe.. It gets better, and sometime soon, you will better know how to lift someone else up.
Christmas Reflections 2022
Sometimes, it is hard to believe that it is already December again. I remember being a kid and how long it seemed to take to get to Christmas, and now I seem to worry that we won’t have enough time to do all the things I want to do. I wonder how long the journey to Bethlehem felt for Mary and Joseph.
Speaking of wondering, I wonder what Mary’s pregnancy was like. I wonder how Mary and Joseph felt when they realized that they had left Jesus behind at the temple or if they ever lost their temper with him. I wonder if Jesus ever got sick or sad and reached out to his parents for support or advice. I wonder if Mary missed Jesus being little as he grew up.
We never seem to think about these aspects of the Holy Family’s life. The closest I’ve gotten is when Justin was born 23 years ago, and I had a newborn at Christmastime. I finally understood what the Bible meant when it said in Luke 19:2, “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
I wonder what the next few years will hold and about a million other things that I can’t see. This year has shown me just a little more that our journey as parents won’t end just because our children grow up, because God has told us in His Story, the Bible, that “(So) God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27. And that means that we have been modeled with the very traits and characteristics (DNA, if you will) of God. We’re far from the perfection that is God, but as we grow, we have the capability to, with the help of the Holy Spirit, become more and more like Him every day. And it also means that our hearts for our children love fiercely and want the very best for them. That doesn’t change no matter their age.
Starting to let go and allowing your child to begin to leave the safety of your home and guidance isn’t easy, though. I wonder if God literally felt the intense emotions of letting go when He sent Jesus to the very imperfect Earth. I doubt he worried, as I am prone to do, because He knew the whole plan ahead of time. I wonder, though, if He felt not only proud of His Son but a little empty even as He knew Jesus was ready. I suppose “empty” might not really be how God the Father felt in all His perfection, but maybe Jesus experienced that feeling when He was here as 100% God, but also 100% man. We might say God the Father was “lucky” because He knew the whole story, that He could literally see the future and knew it would turn out alright. But, the reality is that so do WE . We don’t know the details, but we absolutely know the outcome.
But, I’m human, and I need the Holy Spirit to whisper these truths to me often. I need to have a miraculous faith, a faith that’s supernatural and comes from God. I need to rely on the truth of God’s perfection, plan, faithfulness, and control, because I really CAN’T rely on anything else in this world.
Life is tough. It’s full of great times and experiences, but it’s also hard. And it often feels unfair (kind of liking having to ride a donkey sideways all the way to Bethlehem for some stupid government edict while you’re nine months pregnant). But the more things I experience or see that make me feel like it’s just not fair, and what happened to ”If God is for us, who is against us?” (Romans 8:31), the more I have to remind myself that the answer lies in not knowing the whole plan, not being able to see the big picture. “For now, we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known. (I Corinthians 13:12)
Life isn’t fair, because life is imperfection. Bad things happen. God allows them to happen. BUT . . .”(And) we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 So, remember….It’s not always fair, but it’s always just. It’s always just as it should be in God’s plan.
Life’s not perfect, but God is. Celebrate His birth!
Merry Christmas and Happy 2023!
Steve, Jenny, Justin, Rachel, and Hannah Denning
