TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS...

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring...except me who drank too much coffee the night before!

Sitting here in my childhood home this morning in West Virginia. Everyone else is sleeping...except me. I joke that it's the coffee...but I truly feel it is the Lord giving me some needed quiet time with Him.

I was thinking about the statement "Twas the night before Christmas and...." The statement could be finished in different ways by so many different people.

Here are a few that I believe are going through the minds of my family and friends.

Twas the night before Christmas and...

- I am thinking about reconnecting with family
- I will be getting married in a few days
- someone I love is really sick
- almost done with chemo
- the house will soon be filled with loved ones and laughter
-

In reality...it is often "the night before something"

I was reminded of something recently as I watched the adult choir sing at our church last sunday. The narrator shared how Mary knew she had been given a great blessing....to carry Jesus. She knew that she had found favor with God and He had blessed her. Scripture says that Mary and Joseph then had to go to Bethelehem. What? She is pregnant...almost ready to deliver a baby...and she now has to ride on a donkey. Life was interrupted...or inconvenienced. Can you relate?

Yesterday a quick trip to target turned into a three hour trip. I sat in my van for an hour just waiting to pull out of my parking spot. Yep...life was interrupted...inconvenient...and at times humorous. I called my family and told them if I wasn't home by Christmas to go ahead and open presents without me.

Mary endured and a great blessing followed for her and for us. Jesus was born!

Here is how I want to finish this sentence...

"Twas the night before Christmas and....I am blessed"

Life has been interrupted this week by a few inconvenient and trying moments...but Jesus was born.

The Lord has blessed me in so many ways just in the last three days...one was so unexpected that my youngest son assured me that I was being "punked."

No...I wasn't punked...I was blessed.

So...Twas the night before Christmas...and I am going back to sleep.