Love Came Down

 The Advent season has looked differently throughout my life.  Growing up, there were times that my church would do specific things on Sundays, reflections, lighting of candles...my family had various things throughout the years that we did to focus on the Christ story of Christmas...and now that I have a family of my own, I've been ever seeking how to incorporate the Gift of Christmas into our everyday lives - even with a 2 year old.

This year, I found Truth in the Tinsel via a Facebook link and we are loving it.  It's short, simple, to the point, and fun to do.  I believe it's something we can do for several years because it would be easier to go deeper as Ryleigh gets older.

While I obviously want to raise Ryleigh to understand the Gospel in all of it's entirety and desire to use every opportunity to point her towards Christ...I too desire to understand the Gospel in all of it's entirety and to know that I am seeking Him in a daily walk and not just in certain seasons.  As an early Christmas gift, my parents gave me the book "The Greatest Gift" by Ann Voscamp.  If you read my blog you've seen her name pop up on here once or twice...or thirty times.  The gift the Lord has given her in putting thoughts down on paper is simply that...a gift.

As I have been reading through this daily devotional for the days leading up to the celebration of Christ's birth - I have been humbled, stilled, and overwhelmed.  His story truly is magnificent - isn't it?  For the plan to have begun, to have been put into motion with the creation of everything we see...it is beautiful.  His story that is interwoven through every letter of the Old Testament...realizing that, taking it all in - how can you hurry through it?  How can you not stop and be still to take in the enormity that is Christ?

Love itself came down to us - on a night in Bethlehem...however Love itself is't to be celebrated or recognized on one day a year - or even on one day every week.  He is bigger than that - even as a babe...He is Love.  He is God.  He's more than a duty to read through the Christmas story before digging into the gifts, He's more than saying "Remember the Reason for the Season", He's more than fighting all those "Happy Holidays" people and saying "Merry Christmas" back to them with an exasperated look in your eye.  He is Jesus.  He was the long awaited Savior of an entire people who didn't even realize He would be the Savior of the entire world.

We hear the story and wonder how the people back then didn't "get it".  How could they have missed the greatest birth in all of history?  How could they not connect all the prophesies to have seen Him for Who He is - Love come down??  I wonder how much we fall into the same delusions.  Just a baby.  Not enough time.  The Saving Grace doesn't look quite like what we pictured.  Dutiful. Law abiding. Church attending. Carol singing. Love missing...don't miss out this year.  Don't let these beautiful days leading up to the celebration be filled with anything but the anticipation of our Savior being born.  Celebrate daily, rejoice every moment, seek out the Gift of today, and share it with those who He has placed around you.

Praise Him that Love. Came. Down.