Thankful at Christmas

As I'm sitting here in the light of the Christmas tree, with a wonderful husband on the couch, a snoring little dog and Miracle on 34th Street on the television, I am thankful.

If I let my mind get away from me I think about how I miss my parents, my nephews, my neice, my in-laws. I also tend to think about how our home can sometimes feel a little too quiet, and it would nice to have a baby or two by now to fill it up with love and fun and noise. I'm also tempted to complain that my husband is sick with the flu at such an inconvenient time, 2 days before Christmas...

But then, I remember the mourning parents of Newtown Conneticut, and a friend from high school whose Dad passed away suddenly this morning, and the family in our town who lost their young wife/mother recently, and I am so thankful for all that I do have, and everyone I have, and most importantly--for Jesus.  Jesus' birth was only a small part of the full gospel story, but what an important part it was.

My Saviour's story began so quietly and so humbly, but His life, death, and resurrection changed the world, changed lives, and changed eternity for me and everyone else. I am so thankful for His birth, because it sadly, but inevitably led to His death; and His death and resurrection are what saved me from my sin and gave me a relationship with God for eternity. 

So, my Christmas may or may not look like a tv commercial, with 3 or 4 generations of family sitting around the table, laughing and smiling and eating a massive turkey, and we may not have our own little ones bouncing on our knee, and maybe my husband (or I) will be hovering with sickness in the bathroom, but it doesn't change the fact that Jesus' birth brought hope to a hopeless world, and a chance to have a relationship with God that would last forever. It also doesn't change the fact that I am beyond blessed to be able to celebrate this Christmas with my sweet, amazing husband, as well as some of our very best friends and their children and grandchildren. We will not be hugging our own babies, but the beautiful babies and children we've grown to love as our own family.

This Christmas, I'm choosing to count the abundant blessings God has poured into my life. I'm thanking Him for Jesus, family, friends, good health, and hope.