Merry Christmas – and peace to all
Merry Christmas – and peace to all on this Christmas day! As I pause for a moment in the middle of the day, I hope that you have found a quiet moment of peace in your home today!
In our home here in Alaska, the house was bustling and loud a few short minutes ago and then suddenly, there is peace. Family members have come and gone, the dishes from the breakfast shared have been cleared, and holiday gifts have been shared. The smiles and laughter have wound down, yet echo through my soul, filling me with warmth, peace and love.
A fresh blanket of snow covers Anchorage, and though it’s daylight, the short dark days of winter have a twilight glow already. The past month has been busy and I’m grateful to enjoy a few quiet moments as others do as well.
‘Tis the season to remember God’s gift
Through all of the preparations, and the time with family and friends, Christmas is when we remember God’s gift, the little baby born 2,000 years ago. I can hardly fathom so many years and how this mystery reverberates throughout the world.
I imagine those living in that day, some with center roles and others, strangely oblivious to this birth. Perhaps today is not all that different, with those who believe and celebrate Christ’s birth, those who are skeptical, and those who go on about their lives with seemingly little knowledge or care.
Peace becomes contagious
For believers everywhere, the season is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate peace, love, and beautiful grace brought to us through a small child — the son of God. For a brief moment, we collectively stop and breathe in deep and slow. We put aside our squabbles and give each other more grace, more smiles, more acts of simple kindness.
We are not perfect mind you, but the holiday brings out good things for many. And when we slow down to feel this peace in our own souls, we more easily extend it to those around us! We wish each other a merry Christmas and we share peaceful moments.
May you have a merry Christmas – and peace!
As you navigate your own day of holiday gatherings, or even if you are celebrating on your own, quietly — I hope you find peace. And reach out and share this peace, and a good dose of grace, with those you love!
May the God of peace, love and joy reach deep into your hearts today. May you feel the depth and breadth of his love — and expand to fill your little corner of the world!
Merry Christmas!
