Making up for last year

Although this is Serene's second Christmastide, it feels like her first in many ways. She was a week shy of turning three months last year, so her very first Yuletide season was spent largely at home, hanging out on her tummy. This year, we're out and about more since we've now an extroverted, mobile toddler. We didn't get to attend Christmas chapel at Alex's seminary last year during his final year as a student there, so we made up for it this year. We donned our holiday attire last week and joined our favorite guy as an alumni family at chapel. We got to hear the Word preached, and then celebrated with a Christmas cookie buffet, eggnog, and friends. Alex always gushed about the homemade cookies, chilled eggnog, and cute families with kiddos running around in their Christmas dresses/suits when he was a student. It was a treat to witness and take part in it this year, especially when it came to observing Serene stuff her face with cookies like she had never eaten in her life.

Serene is still a little young, but we've been brainstorming all the Yuletide traditions we hope to establish with our kiddos. Our most cherished one thus far, which Alex began for us our first Noel as married folks, is prepping our hearts for Advent every day in December with this. We substituted Serene's bedtime stories with it this past month, and we've been finding it so sweet to orient our hearts and dwell on the beauty and joy of Christ's birth, even if Serene doesn't fully comprehend it yet.

Before I knew Christ, Christmas was a jolly holiday full of family, festivity, decorations, and gifts. While all of that is quite splendid, it pales in comparison to what Christmas truly celebrates. So thankful God opened my eyes to behold His truth, and that we get to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, without whom there would be no Christmas. God has given us the loveliest, purest, most valuable gift in His beloved son, who came into the world in utmost humility to die for wretched sinners like me so that we might enjoy a relationship with God. Hark the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King! Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled." Praying that our hearts would be grounded in this truth not only during Advent, but every single day, and that our children would come to know and enjoy Him deeply.