Hi everyone,
I hope you’re all keeping safe and warm out there, as the snow is coming down pretty hard right now and there doesn’t seem to be much sign of it letting up at all. As for me, I had to drive our second son over to Tinseltown for a birthday party… one that I was really worried would be cancelled after making it out all the way here. Granted, the roads aren’t that bad, but I can tell that it’s still scary for a lot of people.
I mean, it wasn’t long ago that we had our snowpocalypse here in the Lower Mainland. The last of that snow just finished melting for crying out loud, and now it looks like it’s back with reinforcements. So those memories are still fresh in people’s minds, but I guess they didn’t get a chance to get those snow tires on as the majority of the drivers out there seemed to be going with an overabundance of caution.
It’s not a bad thing, I guess, unless you’re trying to travel the 20k or whatever to get to your son’s friend’s birthday party. But I guess I gave myself a bit too much time, as we got here like 20 minutes early.
But when I saw our son’s eyes light up at the sight of his friends (at least the ones that showed up), honestly made the trek worth it. While the roads aren’t bad, the drive was still hectic and stressful. While we got here relatively quickly, I still feel a bit worn out from looking out for runaway cars out of control on the road. While the area we’re in isn’t super convenient for us, the joy in my son’s eyes is worth making this trip over and over.
So in spite of the hectic and perhaps mundane, in the stress and maybe boring, in the extraordinary and ordinary, we can catch glimpses of joy, hints of hope, and suggestions of peace and we can be reminded that our God is good and continues to provide.
Here are the readings for next week, Christmas Day:
Isaiah 62:6-12
Psalm 97
Titus 3:4-7
Luke 2:8-20
We’re familiar with these texts. We get them every Christmas, but every Christmas seems to get busier and busier, more and more hectic, and in this year’s case, deeper and deeper snow. Sometimes it feels like Christmas is in the worst time possible as we’re stressed, tired, and have a bunch of other things to take care of which shovelling snow is not least of.
But God continues to show up. Grace surprises us. Christmas still happens.
In the midst of all the things we do, like the shepherds watching their flock that night, we might catch a glimpse of joy. In the hubbub of hectic life, we might grab a hint of hope. In the stress of snow driving and dodging other stressed snow drivers, we might receive a suggestion of peace, telling us that God remains true, steadfast, and faithful, and lifts us up, even for just a moment, out of all that bogs us down and fills us with love.
So wherever you might find yourself this day, be in cursing the sidewalks you’re shovelling, shaking your head at the lack of traction on your vehicle, or scratching your head as to where that mystery breeze is coming from in your home, may you be surprised by God’s presence in your life, reminding you that through it all, life continues to be worth it.
Thanks be to God! Have a great week and a very Merry Christmas, everyone!
Photo by Alejandro Luengo on Unsplash