My kiddos sometimes make up song lyrics when they don’t know the actual words (maybe we all do this?).
My daughter’s rendition of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen sounds like this:
Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas day
To save his sons and daughters from our terrible mistakes…
I think it’s perfect.
First, yay for gender inclusivity.
But also, I think Jesus’ deliverance doesn’t stop at Satan’s power.
I think he came to save us from our terrible mistakes too.
Can I be honest for a second?
My little family has watched the fallout from some terrible mistakes this year.
My babies know too much of advent, too much of leaning into the ache between the now and not yet of redemption. I want to wrap them up in my own childish naivety, but it is not to be.
Ever since I chose to enter the beautiful mess that is foster care and adoption, Christmas has been tinged with longing, with grief.
And this year is no different.
But I believe that Jesus is no stranger to the mess.
I’ve never birthed a child, it’s true.
But I’ve heard that the process is pretty messy.
Not nearly as sweet and serene as our nativity scenes portray.
I haven’t spent much time in barns, either.
But I doubt the first Christmas night smelled too great.
I believe there were blood, sweat and tears that night.
I imagine that though it was holy, it likely wasn’t silent.
The night that heaven broke through.
That Love came near.
And there, in the mess. In the stench. In the din.
Emmanuel.
The with-us God.
The One born to save us from Satan’s power.
And our own terrible mistakes.
And so
If Christmas feels messy for you this year,
Know that you are not alone.
You are in good company, friend.
I believe that Jesus is here too.
Even when Christmas is messy.
A little bit of everything... 