Home Away from Home for Christmas

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday.  I love driving all over town looking at the lights and decorations.  The excitement of picking out a tree to take home and decorate, hanging your stockings and decorating the house while listening to Christmas music always lifts my spirit.  Even the grumpiest of all grumps seem to put a smile on their faces during this time of the year.  I love leaving a store and saying "Merry Christmas", enough of this Happy Holidays mess.

Our little town of Bellefonte is really beautiful at this time.  Almost every house it lit up with so many colors.  Everywhere you go, there is a Christmas theme of some kind.  With all this surrounding me, I find myself feeling down and out by the fact that we won't be spending it with mine and Scott's family this year. We have wonderful traditions;   Christmas Eve morning we all meet at my oldest sister's house and have a breakfast feast to celebrate with my mom.  We exchange gifts with one another, sit around telling old stories from our childhood and just enjoy being together all in one house.  Most of the time the stories revolve around how I was the guinea pig and was "mistreated" by my brother and sisters as a child.  Oh the things they did to me - I felt like the red-headed step-child.  We laugh about it now, but they wonder why I am the way I am. :)  Then we meet with Scott's family Christmas Eve night to hang out and eat more food & open gifts from Sandy Claus & Pop Claus!  

Christmas day we meet at my dad's house with his side of the family and eat more than we should.  Fellowshipping with those we don't see all year long, catching up with the family.  It's a good time together.  

Over the last week as I have prepared myself mentally for the fact that I won't be with everyone, but I have also learned something from it.  I have a family of my own.  A husband and two wonderful kids that I cannot imagine ever living without.  Then I realized we are home.  This is our new home - our "Home away from Home".  We are in a new season of our lives and God has brought us here.  Even though it's hard that I'm not with my family back in Baton Rouge, I am with my family here in Bellefonte, PA.  We've been invited to eat dinner with a precious couple who were never able to have children.  They have been a blessing to Scott and I and I'm looking forward to spending time with them.  I have to count my blessings that are before me.  Our Christmas will be simple this year and a little less chaotic....but I wouldn't trade that for anything! LOL   

We have always emphasized to our children each year that the real reason we celebrate this time of year is for  Jesus' birth - how special that is to those who believe.  It's not about presents - it's about giving because God gave His Son so we should give. Whether it be our time, love, a smile, a hug or sharing the message of Jesus Christ.  That's what it's all about. 

I still have the memories of the times with my family but now it's time to make new ones in our new home, in a new season of our lives.  So cherish the times you have with those you love and make memories that will last a lifetime.  Be a light to someone this Christmas. Give them a new memory that will last them a lifetime.  

Merry Christmas!