Christmas

This Christmas holds much excitement for me. I think I am more excited for Christmas now that I have a kid than I was when I WAS a kid.... well, at least AS excited :) I'm planning on packing the tree full of presents, filling the stockings, setting my coffee maker for the morning and going to bed late. All of this so that I can get my 8 month old baby out of his crib, bring him into the living room and watch him look at me like, "Ok mom, where's breakfast?" Ha, yes I may have to counter my anticipation with a bit of reality, as he obviously won't understand what is going on.... but I am excited nonetheless. I am fully prepared to plop him down in the middle of the boxes and let him attack the wrapping paper and bows. I am also fully prepared for him to get more joy out of those than he will out of his new toys. I just can't wait to spend my first Christmas morning with both of my favorite people on EARTH. All the stress of planning, shopping, and getting here or there this holiday season will melt away for those few hours Christmas morning, and I can't WAIT!

This year I have been thinking a lot about gifts. As a first time parent, the desire to give my child the world has come naturally and not only in the form of Christmas presents. I mean, really... how can you give a gift to a child? EVERYTHING is new to them. Jadon has more fun banging his hands on his highchair tray or exploring Mommy's shoe than anything else. This makes it possible to give him gifts all day long! A new position on the floor, a new food to try, a new game to play, and sometimes a new toy.

Just a few weeks ago I was at Meijer buying some groceries. I decided to pick up a small bath toy for the nights bath that night since he plays with the same ducky every night. When I gave him the silly little turtle on a stick, you would have thought I was giving him a million bucks. His arms flailed, he splashed water hear and there as he squealed and grinned from ear to ear. Nothing compares to the satisfaction of bringing joy to your little one. And I was reminded that God is a parent too. Does he feel that deep satisfaction when we delight in the gifts he has given us? Those times of pure delight when I pick Jadon up and he growls while he squeezes my neck and I am overwhelmed with love for this little gift. Or those nights where Mark comes home, scoops Jadon up and takes both of us in his arms and again I am overwhelmed with delight in the gifts I've been given. But my mom reminded me when I was talking to her about these things that God's greatest gift was not material and not even family, but his greatest gift was His own son's life. Born as a baby. Born to die. A death that brought salvation- a gift we couldn't earn, a gift of grace. How often I look past that, or take it for granted. Sometimes I never give it a second glance. Or when its mentioned I say , "Oh yeah, thanks for that." and go about my business, delighting in his OTHER gifts.
I am trying to remember these things and focus on God's greatest gifts, but I realize that I know very little about the goodness of Salvation. I mean, I understand the basic idea, but I don't think I begin to comprehend all of the facets of its perfection. Even God's purest earthly gifts, like family and friends, will fail us. They will disappoint or make us angry. They will take our time and leave us. But salvation is PERFECT and not dependent on us. This is difficult to grasp. But I want to learn more, and experience more, and delight in this gift on a new level. Sounds like a good goal for 2012....take delight in God's greatest gift of all!