december 23

Merry Christmas Eve, Eve.

I love it. All of it. Christmas has always been one of my favourite times of year.

Admittedly, I had the idyllic Christmas childhood. The Christmas season was filled with a lot of family and friends , good food and so many little traditions that made this time of year such a joy.

But such as life is, every year looks a little different.

Last year, Connor was in Europe over Christmas. The year before Elissa surprised me by flying home from Germany. There have been years when our kids have been sick and in the hospital or we’ve been on the other side of the country, and this year we are missing our dear brother Ken who passed away this last spring.

It’s an emotional time. Waves of grief wash over at the most unexpected times, and then the overwhelming sense of joy and peace will swell deep from within when I witness simple acts of kindness in a busy parking lot.

When we peel back the layers of Christmas, put aside the deep emotions tied to high expectations or the sadness of loss, and dwell in the beauty of what this season is truly about… the birth of our Saviour, we find our rest. Our peace.

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

Luke 2:9-10

May you find peace, and rest in the beauty of this season.