This Christmas

Christmas.

That word has always made my heart leap for joy. The music. The presents. The excitement! The bows and gifts and paper. The Christmas Eve service. The Christmas program our church has. The packages coming in the mail. The birth of our Savior. The joy, the salvation, the HOPE He brings. Each little thing each year just made my heart leap for happiness and joy.

This year...

it came a bit differently.

Joy? Oh yes. I have a niece! Who has given me so much joy and thankfulness. Her present is precious :)

Grief? Yes. Pain? Yes. Sadness? Yes.

She's everywhere.

"Where one is born, another leaves, branches on the family tree..." She's in the music.

I distinctly remember the picture frame I got her for Christmas last year, it was black...and white...with a picture of us. She's in the presents, the gifts.

I stood on stage this weekend with all the kids, dressed in their black and white, singing with all the passion in their hearts, "Born is the King, it's Christmas!" She once stood beside me when I was in children's choir. She's there too.

I can see her worshiping, arms lifted, in her seat the Sunday before Christmas- rejoicing that 2,000 years ago the Savior was born for all of us. She's at church.

Finding joy this Christmas season...it's hard. That joy that was there last year- it's not the same.
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I wrote that post about a week ago...I was in a hard spot. I've been thinking about what I wrote- and then it hit me, sitting in church Sunday...her favorite place, it's like she's closer there.

It hit me...she's in the music, in the gifts, in children's choir, she's at church...

I had been saying it over and over again....she's here. Yes, she's far away...very very far, and no I can't text her, can't run to her and hug her...but in a way- she's here with me every day.

No, it doesn't really make sense how she's still here- but she just is. Some days the hurt is unbearable, I look at her face in pictures and I just want to cry...but other days, there's a weird kind of joy...not the "Oh my goodness I'm so happy!" kind of joy...but joy. Somehow in the pain of today as I write this, in the pain of each day- joy.

I think it's because I know in a while, I'll see her again- I'll be with her and we will get to celebrate the Savior's birth together once again- in the best possible way, praising him together.

This verse has been my best friend lately, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4

My friends...that's heaven. That's where she is. And oh what a glorious Christmas she will have this year.

So for today...I'm comforted by the thought that I will see her again, and we will get to celebrate Christmas together...And I'll choose to love, to serve with joy, to worship His name just as she is now- right at this very moment.

Merry (late) Christmas!!!

I hope that you all had a wonderful day celebrating the birth of our Savior! We had a wonderful Christmas at our house, including many gifts, reading of the birth of Christmas in the Bible(Luke 2:1-20) and many fun times together.

Have a blessed week, and MERRY CHRISTMAS from our family to yours!!!

~Bailey

The Star

"Where is he who has been born king of the jews? For we saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him." Matthew 2:2

"When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy." Matthew 2:10

"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told to them." Luke 2:20

Last night as we were driving home from Christmas celebration #1(which will later get a whole post dedicated to itself) I had my ipod earbuds in, and I was staring at the stars. And my heart ached...wouldn't it have been so amazing to have seen that star that night? The star shining in honor and glory of our Savior. How incredible would that have been?

Mary and Joseph had no idea how powerful their son was going to be. They didn't know what to expect. Shepherds and Magi came to worship their baby...can you imagine what was going through their heads?

But...this star, shining so brightly, led them to the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.

And how amazing would it have been to have seen that star that night?

~Bailey

Another Christmas thought...

"Daddy!" she(Sonia) shouts as he walks in the back door.

"Daddy will fix it. Don't worry sissy!"

"Daddy, I love you so much!"

"Daddy knows how."

"Daddy can help me."

"Daddy will do it!"

"I love my daddy."

We all have our earthly daddies...whom we trust to do everything, whom we trust to fix our problems. And we love our earthly daddies.

However...two thousand years ago Jesus, our heavenly daddy's son, came down to earth for us.

He was going to fix everything.

And we were awaiting His arrival.

Maybe not patiently, but we were waiting.

"For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders, and His name shall be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

And people were waiting for Him to save everyone...to be a king...to reign over all...to be mighty.

But instead he was born in a stable...was loved by His mother, Mary, and His father, Joseph...He was born among animals...and was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.

He wasn't a king, He was a baby.

He wasn't reigning over all, he was being held in His mother's arms.

But He would later save all...save the nations and His people. He would be mighty. He would fix everything. He would solve our problems.

He would be our redeemer...I hope that's what we are all celebrating this Christmas season.

~Bailey

P.S. As you can tell I've been doing a lot of thinking lately...there might be more of these posts in the near future so I hope that you are enjoying them!

And by the way... you should read this. It might make you cry( I got teary...this is big people).

Missy@ It's Almost Naptime!!!: In a stable

Christmas...

Luke 2:1-15

"1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.2This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town ofNazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

8And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"

15When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."

And that...my friends...should send chill bumps up your back. Just sayin'.

~Bailey

When I was about to loose my mind...

When I needed a getaway...

When I was exhausted...

When I was ready to have some fun...

When...well...you know...let's just say it had been a long week.

We all hopped in the car for a surprise family vacation...and arrived at the Great Wolf Lodge.

~Bailey

p.s. Did you see it's 1 week and 2 days until Christmas???

It finally hit me...

Until a few days ago, it hadn't really hit me that Christmas was soon. We had our Christmas tree up...our front porch was decorated...the Christmas musical at our church was coming up soon. But I really wasn't in the Christmas spirit...which is very odd for me. It probably didn't help that Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday it was 60 degrees...it was kinda hard to believe it was Christmas time when it was that warm outside.

On Thursday night, getting ready for dress rehearsal for our Christmas musical, William was on the phone, mom was fixing my hair, and we were running around getting ready to leave. And it hit me. Not because our live was crazy...not because we have presents under our tree...I'm not really sure what it was...but it hit me, "It's really Christmas time."

Last night we had a special performance of our musical, invitation only, it was for people who had visited our food pantry in the past year, and ladies from the battered women's shelter. We had about 125 people show up, and we fed them all a sit down dinner of steak, baked-potatoes, and salad. The tables were set up, and we had gift bags with apples, oranges, mints and chocolate in them. As the adult, youth and children's choir were all singing, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day", and all of the people watching us...it was Christmas, right then and there...it really felt like Christmas. When we walked out, waiting in the lobby for people to exit, we continued to sing, "Peace on earth, peace on earth, peace on earth, goodwill to men." When they walked out, their faces were cheerful, and they looked so happy to have someone caring about them. And that right there was like giving a Christmas gift. To see them that happy...that's what all of our hard work in practices was for, to touch someones life with the love of Jesus Christ.

Last night, it hit me, that was what Christmas was supposed to be. Sharing God's love by caring for people, telling them the story of Jesus Christ. That's what Christmas is supposed to be about...

Sharing the joy of Christ's birth that we have through this season to those who don't know.

That's Christmas.

~Bailey

The Reason Why...

I get very excited about Christmas. Okay let me rephrase that- I get extremely excited about Christmas. On November 25th(every year) Christmas music is put back on my playlist and the Christmas piano books come out of hibernation. I put a countdown on my blog many days before that...which by the way is now down to two weeks and 6 days...yay!

Most of the time I find myself guessing at what presents are under the tree...thinking of what I am going to buy for friends and family...what I want to be under the tree Christmas morning. I'm pretty sure it would be safe to say we all do it if we are honest.

I have caught myself many times this Christmas season thinking about lights, and the tree, and what I want...not "Wow. God sent His only son to earth as a baby to save us from our sins. To suffer for us, to go through life as a human for us. Thanks God."

I have had to stop and think to myself that presents and trees and lights don't really matter...having an outfit to wear to the Christmas Eve service- it doesn't really matter. It's just something that the world has made important. And showing myself this- is most definitely a work in progress.

Please don't get me wrong- like I have already said, I LOVE Christmas. A lot. But like my dad said yesterday in his sermon, it's frustrating to see what Christmas has turned into- what WE have turned Christmas into.

I love exchanging presents and being with my family but...

This Christmas season I challenge you- along with myself to remember WHY we are celebrating Christmas.

It will be hard with all of the distractions of the world- but I bet it will be rewarding...

Would you join me?

~Bailey

Family Tree 2011...

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P.S. Go visit Anna Gray's blog by using the button on the side, she's having a Christmas giveaway! yay!

A kid again

Sometimes I feel like a kid again. Those older than me would say that I am still a kid, but I see myself as a teenager(after all I am 13). On Christmas eve, when little kids can barely wait to open their presents the next day, I still feel the same way. When you wake up on Christmas morning and you see 6:15 on the clock and you know that it is Christmas morning and you are so excited, and even though your parents told you not to, you go wake your siblings up so you can go open presents. I still feel the same way. When your parents put all the presents under the tree, and you wake up and shake them to try and guess what they are, you get so excited. I feel the same way, I do the same things. Even though some people don't see me as a kid, I feel like one at times, and I wish I could go back and do some of the things I used to do. For example, me and my best friend color when we watch movies together. I really want to go back to build a bear and make a monkey dressed with under wear and a little pink dress with bows in her hair, I would name her Bridget. Some days I want to go in my room and play american girls for hours. I want to play baby dolls with Sonia. There are so many things that make me act like a kid, things I want to do and things that make me feel like a child.

Do you ever feel the same?

~Bailey~Psalm 56:3~

12 days till Christmas

This morning I told Sonia that it was only 12 days until Christmas, she responds with, "NO WAY!!" That little girl cracks me up. Another thing...when I woke up my parents had wrapped all of our presents and put them under the tree! Sonia was looking at every one of them and if they were hers then she would pull them out and look at the wrapping paper. Anyway, just something to cheer you up this morning. ~Bailey~Psalm 56:3