A fresh perspective on Christmas

I got a fresh perspective on Christmas the Tuesday before Christmas. Stick with me through this story, its a little long, but the payoff is worth it, trust me! It was my first day of Christmas vacation and we had a great day. The day started (as usual) with me rising before any sane person would get out of bed (a little before 5am). I worked a little from home, answering emails and taking advantage of the time overlap with the workday of the people I work with in India. After this I came downstairs and took a shower, followed by the sweet pitter patter of 3 year old (well almost 4 that's the response you'll get anytime you call him a three year old) feet. Jeremy climbed up in my lap and we watched a little early morning TV as we sat on the couch. Mom doesn't usually let the kids watch TV first thing, but what can I say, I'm a big softee. After a little TV, we did what we always do when I'm at home... we made breakfast together. Jeremy's such a good helper! He carried his "timeout" chair into the kitchen, climbed up on top and peered over the counter top to help me make pancakes on the griddle. His favorite parts are telling me weather to make big or small pancakes and putting the "eyes" (chocolate chips) on the pancakes. After we finished breakfast, Mommy and later Daniel woke up. We got the boys dressed and I had expressed to Laurina my desire to get the house clean, so we could enjoy the rest of our vacation. So Laurina and I worked very hard on the kitchen, living room, the boys' room, and our room. Once we finished the boys and I did the male version of Sigmon dancing which includes lots of loud music, running, jumping, hopping and throwing of small children. After that it was lunch time, so we threw together a homemade pizza, which was delicious. After lunch Daniel went down for a nap and Jeremy asked me if he could put on a magic show. Of course I said yes and he proceeded to "magically" stick straws together and use them as a magic wand to turn his parents into monsters. Next he and I laid down for a "nap" together and commenced to get zero sleep. After nap time we made and decorated christmas cookies together, which of course caused the perfectionist in me to come out which is bad since I have zero artistic abilities. Laurina packed up Jeremy and headed to the grocery store, meaning Daniel and I got some alone time to hang out. Much like my oldest son, my youngest is simply awesome, I couldn't love those boys more than I do. When mommy and Jeremy returned home we cooked dinner, ate, and watched a movie (the Santa Clause 3). As the movie went off, I was reflecting on the day I got to spend with my family. My two boys flailed wildly as they tried to dance to the music in background while the credits rolled. I sat in our recliner and was overcome with how much I love them, how much I wanted to protect them, how much I wanted to provide for them. I am a man who has been accused (jokingly I think) of having no emotions, but after spending a day with my wonderful family, I was moved emotionally just by thinking about how lucky I am. I was looking at my wonderful wife, pregnant with our first daughter. I was watching my two fantastic sons run around and seeing pure joy on their face. I thought about the innocence of the moment and how it cannot possibly get any better than this. As we got them ready for bed, I was walking out of the boys' room, I said to Laurina, "Best day ever", and it definitely was.

On my way to our bedroom I started to think about Christmas. The reason that I have vacation and take it this time of year. I was reminded that God looks at us in the same way. How we are made in God's image (Gen 1:26) and how after he created the heavens and the earth, the beasts and the birds, He said they were good, but after he created man he saw everything He had made and said it was VERY GOOD (Gen 1:31). I believe that God created each and every one of us with great plans. He stands back as he sees us grow and swells with pride at the fine workmanship of His hands. How He is probably emotionally moved by us especially in our youthful innocence. Then tonight I thought about His one and only Son. How God probably stood back and smiled as Jesus learned to walk and talk. How He saw him grow and mature, and marveled at the life Jesus lived. How He was probably moved in much the same way as I was that night as He looked down and saw the joy and innocence on Jesus' face as a child. But also I thought about how God sent Him to earth for all of us. That God had experienced this emotion of unbridled love millions of times over as he created humanity and yet He still sent Jesus to earth knowing the final outcome. He sent his Son to live the only perfect sinless life ever lived on earth, only to watch His most prized creation (man) torture and crucify His only Son. God is perfect and sin cannot stand in his presence, so He did the only thing He could, the unthinkable to me, He sent the perfect sacrifice so that you and I could dwell in His presence. I love a lot of people in this world, but there are none that I would sacrifice my children for, yet God did. God gave everything so that eternal salvation would cost us nothing. As is true throughout the Bible, on Christmas all those years ago, God reached out to us. He reached out to all mankind throughout all recorded history. He reached out with His only son, Jesus, the Savior of the world.

How fitting that Jeremy and I recently memorized our first bible verse together:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16