the gift of freedom

It’s so easy to focus on December 25. The anticipation of this magical day full of wonder and reverence and family and noise. I love every bit of it.

The chaos of the traffic and the grocery stores and getting sent back to the grocery store for more shredded cheese. Hiding gifts in the closet and staying up until 2:00 a.m. to wrap everything in those stolen private moments.

Reading Luke 2 and The Night Before Christmas and holding hands as a family and thanking God for the blessing of the birth of Jesus Christ.

It comes once a year, so it’s absolutely worth it to pack it all in. Because it’s gone before we know it.

But Christmas? Is always there. That gift we received when God sent His son to be born in the poorest way possible. To be raised by normal, sweet people. To come and walk among us and teach us and pray with us and love us and truly see us? And to die for us?

That gift never leaves us.

365 days a year, we have it. We carry it with us. It’s the true gift that keeps on giving, to borrow some words from Cousin Eddie.

On Sunday, our pastor called it the Gift of Freedom and I paused.

In those days when I’m plagued with guilt over losing my temper and yelling at my kids, I can remember that because of God’s perfect gift of Jesus, I am free from that guilt. I’m free from the shame of my mistakes and I’m free from the burden of hurt and pain.

We received the gift of freedom and it’s ours to receive.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.