“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” Charles Dickens
I love this time of year. My home is decorated beautifully with warmth and a million memories. All in anticipation of Christmas Day. I’m so grateful for the memories that are mine.
In the silence of tonight I am reminded of the stories held within the walls of my home. How beautifully faithful these walls have been.
These walls have been loyal guards to seasons of love, newness, life, and loss. They have a beautiful way of standing guard over the sacred. Guarding my memories and daring a single one be lost.
The walls of my home have been silent witness to so much life. They’ve hosted generations of my children and grandchildren. The walls of my home have sheltered sacred family times. They’ve also stood the test of time in the storms of life.
They’ve watched as we embraced life with the laughter of children and the trials of youth. They’ve stood without judgment as we navigated the many stages of parenthood and missed the mark time and time again. They’ve held space for grace upon grace.
The walls of my home have celebrated births, birthdays, weddings, graduations, and anniversaries. They’ve also been a place of refuge in times of great loss.
They’ve shouldered torrents of tears with the same tenacity laughter invited, because one thing is true—joy and pain have a way of showing up in the lives of those who choose to live.
“Joy and pain, they are but two arteries of the one heart that pumps through all those who don’t numb themselves to really living.” Ann Voskamp
Amongst all the hurry of Christmas in my world, I find a beautiful beckoning to slow and partake of the greatest gift. Immanuel—God with us.
God with me in the quite. God with me in the messy. God with me in the silence.
The beauty of Christmas is Immanuel. Chosen to be born in the humblest abode, so far from home. In holy province, a young virgin girl and her carpenter betrothed arose to their destiny, and off they rode.
“The virgin will be pregnant. She will have a son, and they will name him Immanuel,” which means “God is with us.” Matthew 1:23 NCV
The angel came at night and gave the shepherds a startling fright. The dark of night was now filled with light. In angelic tones, the shepherds heard they were not alone. “Glad tidings and peace on earth,” came with His birth.
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:8-15 NIV
They followed it’s light in the dark of night. A star so brilliantly bright. Gifts for a King they’d surely seen. Being warned in a dream, they slipped away unseen.
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Matthew 2:9-12 NIV
Christmas is a beautiful reminder of our dire need for a Savior King. “Peace on earth and good will towards men” is something we need deep within.
The greatest gift was given to all mankind—Immanuel, God with us. Our wanderings have been secured in His word. Brokenness in exchange for wholeness. Death for life.
So in this Christmas season I rejoice in the gift of life and celebrate the greatest gift this world has known. The Holy One—my heart His home.
May the Light Devine warm your heart and home on Christmas morning and throughout the New Year.
Merry Christmas one and all!
“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” Hamilton Wright Mabie
Tami Yeager 