the reason we celebrate

It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season and forget exactly what we are celebrating on Christmas. It is fun to decorate the house, bake cookies for Santa, and see the children's eyes light up when they see the presents under the tree, but through it all we are always talking about what we are really celebrating- and that is Jesus.

Tonight we had a chance for a fresh reminder of what it meant for Christ to come to earth- a local church was doing a live nativity, so after dinner we piled in the car and drove down the road to see. The children were excited about all the animals and spent most of their time watching the baby lamb jump on and off the hay bail, but Tallulah kept asking to see Jesus' face. For a moment I stood there on this cold, clear night, looking up at the stars and thinking about what it must have been like to be Mary- seems to be a thought that captures me regularly these days as I am only weeks away from the birth of my own baby- but it was Tallulah who knew why we were really there- to see Jesus' face- may that be the longing of my heart (and yours) this Christmas, and every day!