thankful day.

i know it's christmas, not thanksgiving, but i'm thankful.

i'm thankful for my family.
i'm thankful for my home.
i'm thankful for the jigsaw puzzling happening in front of a roaring fire just to my left.
i'm thankful for the sun shining and making our loads and heaps of snow look like diamonds in cool whip.
i'm thankful for a peaceful house. nobody's talking, and we're all content.
i'm thankful for no pressure to be anywhere.
i'm thankful for a humongous table with chinese checkers set up on it.
i'm thankful that later we'll be all talking and laughing around the same table, while enjoying a smorgasbord of delicious food.
i'm thankful that we're all together.

i think christmas is a lot of times about traditions and keeping up appearances. you know, the whole "make sure you get the right gifts and enough gifts and decorate your house just so and have a nice outfit to wear and get the christmas cards out and a bazillion kinds of christmas cookies baked and go to all the christmas parties and see every relative you've ever had and burn all your candles at both ends until you're fried, etc" thing?

pretty sure that isn't what christmas is about.

christmas is about love. God loved the world so much that He ended our eternal separation from Him [caused by our sinfulness] by sending His own Son to earth. He put aside His privileges as God, and lived as a 100% man, although He was 100% God still. He became one of us. but He didn't sin. but He died the worst possible sinner's death, though He didn't deserve to die, thereby paying our debt for being sinners [death]. and then He conquered the grave. and sin and death and hell. [pretty much takes care of all our enemies!] and then He ascended back up to heaven, where He is seated on the right hand of the Father, and daily intercedes on our behalf!

that's a pretty incredible gift. all we have to do is accept that we need it. we need God's grace. we need His forgiveness. we need His love.

and once we accept it, the blessings begin to overflow! not only do we now have a relationship with the Almighty Creator God [who knows us better than we know ourselves, and loves us in spite of ourselves, because He is Good], but we've been given a greater benefit: the Holy Spirit. when we're filled with the Spirit, then He fills us up with His love. and joy. and peace. and patience. and kindness. and goodness. and faithfulness. and gentleness. and self-control. they aren't a checklist for us to perform; they're produced in us as we abide in the Lord and obey His Word.

this is abundant life.

i'm thankful for this abundant, Spirit-filled life.
i'm thankful for an everlasting hope, which is the anchor of my soul.
i'm thankful for so great a love.
i'm thankful for Jesus.

it's probably not His real birthday today [not sure if you knew that].

but it's a good reminder [if we take it] of how good we have it.
real good.

accept His grace. be filled with His Spirit. enjoy the abundant life.
happy christmas, dear friends!
love a.