Merry Christmas

I love Christmas.

Christmas brings quiet times, family times, Christmas trees, lights, giving, baking, turkey dinner and all the traditions that accompany the season.  But there is something I don’t think I could do without at Christmas: snow.  I honestly cannot remember ever having a Christmas without snow.  For me, the two go hand in hand.  Take away the turkey dinner, but oh, not the snow.

The last few years, it has threatened to not be a white Christmas, but then at the last minute - last year it was Christmas Eve - the snow fell.  This year the same thing - the grass, a green-brown-dead color, the trees and shrubs all naked and brown, blah-like.  And I was, like the song says, dreaming of a white Christmas.

Then, yesterday, December 23, the snow came.   Soft, gentle, falling slow, pure white, heaven’s down.  I walked in it and there was quiet all around, like everything was standing still watching it fall to the ground and cover the death of fall.

As I listened to the silence I wondered why snow is such an important part of Christmas to me.  Then these words from a favourite song (Winter Snow) came to my mind:

“Could’ve come like a mighty storm......

            You could’ve come like a forest fire......

But you came like a winter snow, quiet, soft and slow

Falling from the sky in the night to the earth below”

Heaven’s down falls gently, quietly.  It covers life now dead, with a pure white blanket.

Jesus came at Christmas, quiet, gentle, from heaven, to cover us who believe, with His robe of righteousness, pure and holy.  To give life to the dead.

Jesus is the gift we celebrate at Christmas.  A gift of faith, hope and love.  A gift of life everlasting.  He doesn’t barge in all obnoxious-like, but gentle, waiting.  Holding out life to those who would stretch out their hand to receive it; like catching a falling snow flake, a gift can only be given if it is received.

As the snow falls around me, I stand in awe and give thanks this Christmas for:

-          a white Christmas

-          family, fun and silly times

-          full belly laughter good for the soul

-          the gift of Jesus, meek and mild, Saviour of sinners

-          Charlie Brown Christmas trees and lights that sparkle bright

Merry Christmas to you and yours.  May yours days be filled with the peace that transcends all understanding as you stand in awe of a Saviour who came so long ago, like a winter snow, quiet, soft and slow, and give thanks for the gift.