It's no secret to those who know me that I love Christmas! I am the weird guy who, when shopping for a new home, asks first, "Where will the Christmas tree go?" I enjoy the traditions of the season that we have established as a family, and I absolutely love the time I spend with my wife and children.
In fact, until recent years, I would often obsess about the season and spend too much time and thought creating the "perfect Christmas" for our family. The tree and the lights had to be just right, our Christmas meal had to include all the important parts, and each gift had to be a wonderful match for the receiver. And my desire to have a perfect Christmas would end up ruining the very mood I sought to create.
As I have grown older I have changed in that regard. While I still love this time of year, I no longer need all the trappings to call it a success. Part of that has been the result of increased spiritual maturity as I have focused more on the One that Christmas celebrates and laid aside distractions. I have now reached the point where I am content with Jesus and the original gift that He gave. That is all we really need to have a wonderful Christmas.
But there is something else that has played a role in this transformation...I have seen the world and its incredible needs. As a result, I realize that there are many children that I know and love who will not have a Christmas at all or a family with whom to celebrate. Some will eat the normal slop that makes up their institutional meal year round, while others will not have food at all. Some will spend December 25th laying on the dirt floor of a drafty house while others will fight to survive the day. Many will spend Christmas alone and unloved.
So, in light of that, what do I really need to have a wonderful Christmas? Not much. In fact, my life is Christmas year round.
I pray that you and your family will have a wonderful Christmas and that we all will remember that Jesus is the focus of it all!
As we approach Christmas and the end of the year once again we would like to ask you to consider some ways to make your gift-giving more meaningful this year. Too often christians can get caught up in the secular expressions of the season and miss the chance to celebrate in a way that can make an eternal difference in the world and in our children.
Over the last two months we have shared with you about the long trip and many obstacles that Ron and Melanie Ecklebarger have encountered in bringing home their two newest children from Uganda. We are happy to report that they are now safely home with Stephen and Immaculate!
Keep up with the details of our transition to Guatemala and other Hope for Home happenings on Daryl's blog at 