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Wednesday, Dec 16 - I’ll Be Home for Christmas<br />
Every time I turn on the Pandora Christmas-music-station, I hear someone crooning, "I'll be<br />
home for Christmas..." It's such a sad, nostalgic Christmas song, made more so by the fact that<br />
not everyone I love can be home for Christmas. During the holidays, I miss my grown-up-kids<br />
the most. Don't get me wrong, I love that they are able to create their own family traditions<br />
(those are IMPORTANT!). I am thrilled to think of them with their kiddos, carrying on some of the<br />
same ones that we instilled: attending the Christmas Eve service, gathering at home afterwards<br />
drinking some of Aunt Kim's Egg Nog (her special, yes, non-alcoholic, recipe is the BEST),<br />
reading the Christmas story, tearing open a few presents before bed, saving Christmas<br />
stockings & a surprise gift for morning... What I miss is the magic that family makes by being<br />
together. So, we've learned to make that magic happen whenever we can...and, I'm glad that<br />
my kiddos work at finding the few times we can all gather under one roof.<br />
For <strong>Jesus</strong>-followers, that haunting we feel<br />
at Christmas-time, that longing for home,<br />
for family, is simply a poignant reminder<br />
that none of us are HOME. We'll never<br />
really have that hole in our hearts filled until<br />
we reach heaven's gates. Oh, we may sense<br />
the magic for a few brief days, when family<br />
can gather together, but it's simply a foretaste<br />
of what we really are seeking - being at home<br />
in the presence of our Savior. We will never<br />
be fully satisfied until we are home with<br />
<strong>Jesus</strong>. The <strong>Jesus</strong>-disciple, Peter, got that fact<br />
- he looked beyond earth to that place about<br />
which his Lord taught. As <strong>Jesus</strong> explained<br />
the fact of His coming death to His disciples,<br />
He used these words:<br />
"In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to<br />
prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take<br />
you to myself, that where I am you may be also (John 14: 2-3, ESV)."<br />
So, Peter reminds us,<br />
"Friends, this world isn't your home, so don't make ourselves cozy in it...(1 Peter 2:11, MSG)"<br />
Advent is more than just a current season of approximately 25-30 days. Advent is ahead. <strong>Jesus</strong><br />
is currently preparing for another Christmas. A Christmas when all the family who are in-Christ<br />
will be together celebrating in His Father's mansion. I look forward with anticipation to that day.<br />
So much so, that I don't want to be "cozy" here. And, just as my adult-kids work hard to make<br />
together-times happen, I will do my part to work at making an eternal gathering with those I love<br />
possible. Think of the magic of that time! Advent is near!<br />
Today's Advent Lesson: One day, those of us in-Christ will all be home for Christmas. Let's<br />
prepare for that Advent by sending out Kingdom invitations. What a day that will be!<br />
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