I have to say, by 9:30pm last night I thought I had been run over by a truck...or eight reindeer and a sleigh! But it felt great. What a glorious Christmas Eve. With the delicate beauty of the poinsettia tree, it feels like our sanctuary was built with Christmas Eve in mind and when midnight comes and the congregation lifts the light of Christ into the darkness, we clergy have the best view in the house! It is a moment I look forward to all year. Then there is the eerie and almost sacred quiet of Maple Rd. and the lingering luminaria still glowing as we head home through the neighborhood. Then after morning worship, Judy and I flew to Gettysburg in time to gather 'round the table with our family for Christmas dinner and open packages with the kids. What joy. I'm exhausted and filled at the same time.
On this bright, sunny morning you and I both know that the world is still much the same as it was day before yesterday. My mother-in-law is still in nursing care, grief still lingers in our church family, divisive politics still plague our nation, tension still divides the land we call Holy, homeless families still line up for food on the street. But because of Christmas we know this world is also the world of the Christ and that Immanuel is still present among us. Joy still happens. Love still happens. Hope still happens.
Happy Boxing Day.
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