Our first married Christmas together was absolutely wonderful!!! Thanks to all for the warm wishes for us. We enjoyed some new traditions for Joaquim and made some of our own. We spent Christmas Eve night and Christmas Day with my family and then the whole family on Christmas Day, which was very nice. Lots of good food (Dad's homemade pizza! and cookies!) and laughter...and of course presents. Joaquim has been enjoying our Wii for a few solid days. And I got maybe too excited about my Cuisinart panini maker/grill/griddle. Mmmm!
One of my favorite parts to the holiday was the Christmas Eve service on Thursday. It was a beautiful evening and the message really touched me.
"Emmanuel: God with us". The whole focus of the evening was how God is present in and involved with our lives. ...or at least that's what I got out of it. At the end, a few people came onstage and shared how God has provided for them or comforted them or cared for them. Then as the band sang, people started popping up throughout the auditorium, holding signs saying "All will be well...God with us". As the music built and hundreds of people stood to their feet with the signs overhead, I was so moved and suddenly it was like God was tapping my shoulder saying "hey, pay attention...this is for YOU. All will be well. I am with you."
That is such a comforting message: All will be well. It will! No matter what circumstances are facing you down right now (and sometimes approaching a whole new year is daunting...) it will all work out. Not because of positive thoughts or karmic justice, but the sole fact that God is with you.
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