It's all about the baby

This morning, as I watched a beautiful snowfall and talked to Jesus, I sensed a need to pray for those who will be celebrating Christmas without a loved one, especially those who are going through their first Christmas without that special person.

The snow prevented my daughter from making the trip to her dad's, as planned.  That means, I will have all my children home for Christmas Eve.  Well, not quite all; there is always one child missing.   This will be the 22nd year without my oldest daughter, Alyssa.

Alyssa never grew beyond a baby.  Just like Jesus, she came into the world a helpless babe.  She was born in a sterile environment rather than a filthy manger, but she had the same destination as her Savior.  They are celebrating Christmas in the heavens, together.  

I still remember that first Christmas without her.  It was all about the baby, just not the right one.  My arms ached.  I wanted to scoop baby Jesus out of every manger scene I saw and hold Him.  It took several Christmases before I realized that was exactly what I needed to do.  We often talk about Jesus holding us in His arms, but in my case, I needed to hold Him.  To hold my Savior, Emmanuel, my Prince of Peace, in my arms and express my love and joy for Him.

Even if you've never known a loss like that, I pray you will scoop baby Jesus into your arms and love Him this Christmas.  After all, it's all about The Baby.

Popcorn memories

Recently, and for no good reason whatsoever, I found myself doing that thing that "older" people tend to do: reminiscing.  And it all started over a bowl of popcorn.

"Do you know, when I was a kid, my mother used to make popcorn on the stove?  In fact, she even had a 'popcorn pan'."  (The camera pans to the blank stare on my daughter's face.)  "Yeah, Mom, that's...interesting," she says.  I went on to give her an entire history of the evolution of making popcorn.  She was fascinated and hung on my every word.  Not.  :)

To this day, eating popcorn conjures up memories of high school basketball games and Disney's Sunday night movie.  Isn't it funny how a food, or a smell, or a song can transport you back in time?  I wonder what things will take my kids back to the "good 'ole days" when they are older.

What little things spark memories of your childhood?