God has an incredible sense of humor -- and knows just how to bless us. We had many people, including at least a couple of our own children, wondering why we wanted to add children. But Leon and Wilson have been such an incredible blessing to us. Wilson is one of the cutest things I have ever laid eyes on and, as I have mentioned, he is never hesistant to let me cuddle up with him, love on him, kiss him, and hug him. He's the best.
In addition to the blessing of Leon and Wilson, we have a lot of people being very generous to us this Christmas. People that we never expected to have given us gifts, gift cards, cash. It's been overwhelming.
Today one of our friends from church insisted on taking Wilson and I to lunch, along with Jimmy who had been helping her deliver Christmas to several families this morning. So the four of us went to Red Lobster because Wilson's favorite food. We had a lovely time. She is a fascinating person with all kinds of wonderful stories to tell.
And so, even though things are not perfect, there are evidence of God's goodness all around me. New children who are fitting in nicely, are very well behaved, and who we love so much already. We have generous friends, a wonderful church family, and family members who love us.
It's easy to focus on the hatred and the anger and the nastiness around us at all times lately, but I'm finding that there are many very good things in our lives as well.
In a couple hours we will file into a crowded church. We will be surrounded by families just like ours. As a pastor's family, we know people on a level that some others don't. As we are in that church we will be worshipping with people like us -- people who have experienced great joy in the past year combined with great sorrow. We will sit next to those who have had years worse than ours and those whose lives have been a little easier.
But for just that hour, we will remember something bigger than any of our trials. We will remember the plan of a God who loved us so much that he gave his only Son. A God, who knowing that we would reject Him, presented Him to the world in human form, knowing that the only way that He could reach us would be through the incarnation. The magic of that thought and the power of that gift will be our focus.
And it is my prayer that all of us will take time this year to let the Christ child and this gift of peace penetrate our hearts and pierce through any darkness that life's circumstances can bring. And may we look for the good and be grateful.
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