Do you remember the feeling of anticipation? When you couldn't fall asleep you were so excited?
Do you remember feeling, shaking and squeezing each present under the tree, trying to guess what delights they contained?
Do you remember the magical feel of Christmas morning, when you slunk downstairs to stealthily filch your stocking, and then race back to your room to explore the contents?
Do you remember?
I remember.
I remember camping out with my brother, snuggled up in sleeping bags, in our new Christmas pajamas, eagerly anticipating the moment when we could finally open those tempting packages under the tree, far too excited to fall asleep...or so we thought;)
I remember trying to guess what was in my wrapped presents. My brother and I were pretty good, especially my brother;)
I remember waking up super early, and sneaking downstairs to grab my stuffed stocking (we were always allowed to look in our stockings as soon as we woke up), then sneaking back upstairs to tell my brother that "Santa was here!". Neither my brother nor I ever really believed in Santa Claus, but it was fun to pretend. We used to build elaborate "Santa Watching Stations" out of cardboard boxes, with eye-holes cutout, to try and catch a glimpse of the elusive old fellow. We never did, and it was really just an excuse to camp out, but oh it was fun! Those were the days when I could sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor, comfortably;)
Christmas is important to me in a different way than when I was a kid. I understand the real reason we're celebrating. We're celebrating the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who came to save us from our sins and give us hope. I love reading through Luke 1 & 2, and I especially love it that the shepherds were the first to see Jesus - it's one of the reasons that I enjoy raising sheep so much:) I pray that I would be like the shepherds, glorifying and praising God for all that they had seen and heard.
But all the same, there are times that I wish I was a kid again...I wish I hadn't lost the magical feeling that Christmas used to bring. I'm glad my mom video taped us on many Christmas mornings - it's so much fun to watch how excited we were, our wonder and amaze increasing every time we opened a new gift.
It's a special thing, being a kid. Everything is new and wonderful.
Never forget the wonder of Christmas.
.....
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
Luke 2:8-20
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I wish you all a very merry and blessed Christmas!
