On this Merry Christmas Night....

Merry Christmas, blog friends!

I know you're wondering, "Did she finish painting her family room (finally....)??"

(Nope!)

* * *

Doesn't this look like how our days are sometimes?

Myriad things scattered about, unfinished.

Trying to take a cozy, restful seat by the fire, but still that seat stays empty.

We try to make things brighter, but the light strings don't quite have the power to make things clear for us.

And we wonder how many coats it will take to cover up what had been there before, without splotches and unevenness. (Three may just be right--sigh....!)

* * *

We may have things unfinished. We may have "miscalculated" the use of our time. Or perhaps we were called away to other things for which we were needed, even if they weren't part of our plans.

Even in our peaceful approach to Christmas, that seat of rest may be vacant. But the opportunity to "Be still...." doesn't always lie in a cozy seat by the fire.

We may go about our days feeling a lack of energy, or a lack of that "spark" or "glow" that radiates the Christmas spirit. But the true Light of Christmas can shine brighter through us than a string of twinkling bulbs.

As for the splotches and unevenness, we were not promised days without difficulty, without challenge, without trouble. But that doesn't mean we don't have hope, or can't have our hope restored.

Love is raining down on the world tonight
There's a presence here I can tell
God is in us, God is for us, God is with us, Emmanuel
He's the Savior we have been praying for
In our humble hearts He will dwell
God is in us, God is for us, God is with us, Emmanuel

Let the words sink in tonight, tomorrow, and into 2010 and beyond--every day!
God is IN us. God is FOR US! God is WITH us, Emmanuel!!

Merry Christmas!