Day 6 Linger Longer

We took the tree down today. I don’t remember another year when I have grieved letting go of Christmas quite so much. I am just not ready to release the twinkle and warmth of Christmas. Maybe it is the grief of losing my parents. Or maybe it is the busyness of the season that kept me from fully letting Christmas in. I don’t know. I linger here now, opening my heart again.

Chris took the tree outside with the lights still strung and plugged it in. We had hoped to have some snow tonight but I am not sure we will. Wouldn’t it be lovely to awaken to snow with this lovely tree in the front yard? I think so.

I am breathing deeply, letting the lights go out of focus just a bit until they become that dreamy bokeh that stirs my soul. Yes, there it is.

In my heart I know that Christmas is not just a season. Christmas is Christ come to us. Christmas is more than we could ever hope it to be and it lasts longer than a week in December. Christmas is the riches of God coming to meet us in our absolute poverty. We had nothing to bring that would allow us to fellowship with the Living God.

Then Jesus came to us.

Now, we can eat from the King’s table. Now, we can know the one who loves us the most. Now we can know hope. Now, we can know true mirth — the joy that comes from a tender, love-filled Father who is also God.

This is Christmas.

And these lights? They are just a glimpse of what our God has in store for us. Imagine the colors around his tree!

1 Corinthians 2:9 ~”However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him.”