December Celebrations

The Christmas season blues have found me again this year. I am obsessed with the desire to be with my parents and those who have gone before me. My heart aches for the childhood kitchen filled with the wonderful scents of Mama's baking. When every surface was covered with wax paper topped with delicious and beautiful treats like luscious fluffy white divinity, homemade cherry mash candies, creamy chocolate fudge, coconut macaroons topped with red and green maraschino cherries, chocolate dipped Ritz crackers filled with peanut butter, and so much more.

This is a start from one of my mother's Christmas cactus plants.
I've had it for several years, thanks to Nurse Barb Hilleman who
nurtured the slip from a plant my mother gave to the doctor's
 office in State Center. I'll share the progress of its first blooming
year during this Christmas season.

Mostly I miss Mama, sitting in her big recliner, trying to get comfortable, struggling to breathe, yet giving me the greatest gift of her presence and motherly love that radiated through my soul. And I miss Daddy, sitting in his wheelchair with a beautiful welcoming smile for me, calling me 'Glory' and offering me an undeserved proclamation of pride.

"But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out,"Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir," (Galatians 4:4-7 NIV).

You are an heir of God! Your treasures are waiting in heaven. No more worry about finances or 'stuff'; no more shopping for gifts within the budget; no more filling that emptiness with buying more. God will provide it all. God's awesomeness will fill the air with completeness and satisfaction and unending joy. We will not want for anything. We will have it all: the goose-bumping, bone-shaking, cuddly warmth of the softest blankets, pore-filling perfection of the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ and Father of us all!

Who can imagine such utter and complete joy? It will be blow-your-socks-off, knock-us-off-our-feet wonderful!

Come, Lord Jesus. Come. Fill us with the glory of your presence in the manger. We wait expectantly for the celebration of Your arrival. But, You are already here, Lord! So, surround us with your glory now so we can feel the celebration in our hearts. We love You, Jesus. Come...