A good/weird Christmas

I have to say that this Christmas season has been slightly strange. Christmas itself was very much like it's always been - reflective, traditional, quiet, filled with anticipation and gratitude. Minus the snow, this Christmas looked like so many Chirstmases before. I am so very thankful for Christmas. It's the season that we remember the reason for our very existence, our hope. 

Happenstancically, some strange events took place this Christmas. They would have been strange no matter the season but perhaps were made even stranger by the season. But the events of recent actually put Christmas and life in perspective a bit. They caused me to remember that I am completely human. I have ridiculous emotions and expectations. I am fickle, hard to deal with, unpredictable. So very human.

It strikes me this Christmas, as I am made completely aware of my own humanity, to what extreme God had to humble Himself, how far He had to shrink, how much of His power He had to set aside to become human, a baby no less. And although He was perfect, failing in nothing, lacking in nothing, He still experienced humanity, all of it. He got angry, was disappointed, knew joy, went hungry... He had to. How hard that must have been to decide to do...all to save us...all because He loved us.

So, although this Christmas was quite strange, it was still very good. And that, I think, is usually how it goes - hard and good things come together. It's how we grow. And that's what life is all about. From beginning to end, we grow. How lucky we are that God chose to love us. Chose to become human. All so that we could live.