Presents and Presence

Christmastime as a child was always about the anticipation of gifts and the glitter of lights, spending time with Grandma and Grandpa and time off from school! Gift-giving in our family has always been about sharing with each other and thinking of each other - not just about getting a bunch of stuff. As children, it's hard to see past all the stuff you will get, and sometimes the story of Jesus's birth is just a story. But as I got older I began to realize the significance of that story. Christmas is special not because of the presents but because of God's presence - the fact that the days and weeks leading up to Christmas are about the anticipation of God's presence in this world through his son. Jesus - on earth - with us. Not only was Jesus a gift, but his birth was the fulfillment of a promise in a way that no one expected. I think it is so appropriate that there is a time of year that we can reinact the waiting and celebrate the arrival of Jesus and everything that means for humanity.