Thursday, December 22, 2011

Merry Christmas!

Luke 2:20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

A very good friend of ours sent this email exhortation reminding us how easily we can lose our focus on what really matter this time of year:

"I had such big plans going into December. One of them was getting the Christmas card done early in December and avoiding the rush charges as well as the 'scramble' to get cards back to the East Coast friends and family by Christmas. Totally bombed! I created and ordered cards in a hurry on an interruption-laden evening last week -- always a bad idea. I paid for two-day express shipping to get the cards here so I could address them and get them out in plenty of time. AND I HAD THE WRONG BOYS' NAMES UNDER THE PHOTOS!

"So then I order new/more expensive/different cards and paid for OVERNIGHT express. They arrived but when I went to mail the cards today, I couldn't find the 100 stamps that I had bought at Costco three weeks ago. They were on my desk yesterday and nowhere to be found when I needed them! I was out of my mind frustrated and short with the kids and the puppy who had just pooped on the white carpet! So I pushed the cute puppy in her crate, grabbed a tired, screaming four-year-old and shoved her in the car seat to drive to the post office to buy stamps so I could mail some cards today. And wouldn't you know it? The machine is OUT of stamps so I had to stand in line...with 20+ people and my poor, tired four-year-old daughter!

"But I got my stamps. And I held my daughter tight as her nose dripped on me and my tired baby girl got to be the center of my world for the 25+ minutes we were there. That was God's plan: to let my baby girl know that in the craziness of this season, she is what is most important. Not the puppy, not the Christmas cards, not the presents that need to be wrapped -- but her sweet, little person that is the model of what Jesus wants us to be -- needy of him and willing to receive all the love and grace he has to give us."

This PCCer gets it! Christmas is all about Christ. We have worked hard to allow you to experience that on Christmas Eve as we offer four worship gatherings. You can invite everyone and anyone by clicking here and then clicking the red "invite a friend" link at the bottom of the page.

Our friend ended her electronic iteration by capturing my hope for all of us this Christmas season:

"Regardless of how many/few tangible presents you give and receive this Christmas or the number of cards you send, I hope you experience the greatest gift of all -- the unchanging love and grace of Jesus. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!"

I have loved shepherding you in 2011. Merry Christmas, PCC!