The Magic of CHRISTmas!!

Christmas is always such a magical time of year!  I love the lights and the cocoa...the songs and warm fuzzies!  I have LOVED watching our newest boys experience Christmas for the first time!  Ethiopian Christmas is nothing like it is here in America so it is all brand new to them!  I LOVE watching Isaiah's eyes sparkle as he saw Christmas lights for the first time - his whole hearted response when he is filled with awe is "WOW!" - kinda breathed under his breathe!  I absolutely LOVE it!  He gave the same response when he helped me wrap his first Christmas present EVER - a gift he picked out for his little brother!  As we got it all wrapped up in shiny paper - he sat back and sighed and breathed out "WOW!".  I LOVE it!!

Many people talk up the Magic of Santa at this time of year!  Polar Express fills your heart with "I Believe" statements and everywhere you look there are elves and Santa flying through the air delivering packages!  I love the concept of Santa but have to say that my heart has been heavy the last couple of years that the MAGIC we focus on is flying reindeer and mini toy makers!

Christmas IS about Magic....
~ It is pretty MAGICAL that a teenage virgin could become with child!
~ It is pretty MAGICAL that a pregnant teenager could travel for days on end 9 months pregnant...on a donkey at that!!  (I shed a little tear of sympathy whenever I think about the discomfort - this was NOT an easy feat people!)
~ It is pretty MAGICAL that random men from FAR AWAY were given a MAGIC star to follow to meet the new KING!
~ It is pretty MAGICAL that angels sang to stinky field workers tending sheep to tell them the news of a new baby - talk about a birth announcement!
~ It is pretty MAGICAL that God protected this new babe and his family while men were trying to kill him - even at birth he was a threat!
~ It is pretty MAGICAL that a husband-to-be trusted God and his future wife enough to believe her and stay by her side no matter what everyone else thought - - a man of God is always MAGICAL!
~ It is pretty MAGICAL that Christ became man FOR ME - for you....when we DON'T deserve it - - not in the least!
~ It is pretty MAGICAL that HE loves us THAT MUCH...the magic is BEYOND words!

Our kids figured out the whole Santa thing all on their own!  Jarod has known for a while, Noah a couple months ago, and Leah a few weeks back!  We did not want to thoroughly confuse our new boys with what Christmas is really about so you could say we are an unbelieving (Santa) family!  We taught them the history behind St. Nicholas and why the God loving Saint started hanging socks and giving gifts - it was out of love.  He wanted to make those around him feel special and happy!  Isn't that what Christmas is about - didn't God give his son so we could feel loved, special, and happy!?  Do I feel like we have lost the MAGIC of Christmas??  Far from it...I think we are focusing on the TRUE magic of CHRISTMAS and we DO BELIEVE...in the ONE who Created us all an LOVED us ENOUGH!!

Merry CHRISTmas to ALL!!!