Joy to the world!

Today was Christmas! I love Christmas. I love the traditions, the food, the gifts, the songs, the lights, the family... I love it all. This year felt a little different than most though. New people in the family, hard stuff going on in the world, some traditions being broken... I found myself feeling a little sad as I drove to my aunt and uncle's house for our traditional Christmas dinner. I was sad because I have made Christmas this sacred (unfortunately a secular version of sacred) thing in my head and I was really down when the reality didn't live up to the expectations. There I was, driving down 435, getting teary on the highway because my Christmas day wasn't everything I'd hoped.

Then "Joy To The World" came on the radio... and it hit me, smacked me in the face actually, that today (and every day) should be a day of joy because God sent his son Jesus to this earth to live, die, and be resurrected to save us! That's what Christmas is all about... Not about tradition, or family, or friends, or gifts, or any kind of perfection. It's about God fulfilling his promises and the birth of Christ and what that ultimately means for our salvation. That's something to be joyful about!

So there I was, driving down 435, still getting teary but for reasons of joy. Christ was born and that's something to celebrate! God was gracious enough to send me this gentle reminder on my drive today so I thought I'd pass it on just in case your Christmas day didn't go as you had hoped and you needed a gentle reminder as well.

I hope today was a Christmas day full of joy celebrating the birth of our gracious, wonderful Savior. And if it wasn't, it's not too late... 

Merry Christmas!

(PS The version of Joy To The World That I was listening to is by Paul Baloche and it's a really good one. I included the cheesy YouTube video and lyrics, just for kicks.)

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King.

Let every heart prepare Him room,

heaven and nature sing,

let heaven and nature sing,

let heaven and heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!

Let men their songs employ;

while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains,

repeat the sounding joy,

repeat the sounding joy,

repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

Hear the joyful sound of our offering

as Your saints bow down, as Your people sing.

We will rise with You, lifted on Your wings,

and the world will see that:

Our God saves, our God saves.

There is hope in Your name.

Mourning turns to songs of praise;

our God saves, our God Saves.

You rule the world with trust and grace,

and make the nations prove

the glories of Your righteousness,

the wonders of Your love,

the wonders of Your love,

the wonders, wonders of Your love.