Christmas Musings

On my way home from picking up the kids after work, my preschooler and I chatted about Christmas.  We’re dragging out the festivities over a few days this year, so he was a little confused which day is actually Christmas.  Throughout the conversation, he asked me what it means to celebrate and why we celebrate Christmas.

In this season, it feels a little strange to truly celebrate.  The holidays are a reminder of family, but our foster daughter will be spending her first Christmas with us instead of her parents.   She’s too little to understand, but I’ve taken on secondary rejection on her behalf.  My joy for this time of year is dampened knowing that this isn’t how it’s suppose to be for her and hundreds of other children on Christmas day.

When I think of the Christmas story, I sometimes wonder if Mary ever questioned whether or not she’d survive past her pregnancy.  There were difficult circumstances during the time of her pregnancy, but she could rest assured that Jesus would live as he grew in her womb, he would make it through childbirth, he would not be destroyed by Herod, and his life wouldn’t be cut short until his mission on earth was fulfilled.  I’ve noticed that the angel never promised that Mary would be there to witness it all.  Perhaps she wondered if her purpose was complete in simply giving birth to Christ.

Whatever she thought, and whatever gloomy thoughts have passed through my mind, it doesn’t really matter.  Our present circumstances pale in comparison to the immeasurable hope of Christ.  God knows all those things that are imperfect and unjust.  The hope of a savior means that He truly understands the hard things in our home this year.  He hasn’t forgotten our foster daughter.  He hasn’t forgotten us.

That child born thousands of years ago was for her and her circumstance, me and mine.  This Christmas, when there is brokenness in my home and things are clearly not the way they were suppose to be, I’m finding joy in knowing that He provided a way out.  He saved us from all this.

God sees her.  He knows her.  He came for her.

And there is hope.