About and With

I woke up this morning to a quiet house, which is a true sign that our children really are growing up!! We have gone from the "younger" years of them waking us up far too early on Christmas morning to now when we all wake up at relatively the same time. I am sure there will be a day when David and I will have to actually go into their rooms to wake them up and drag them out of bed!!

So, as I lay in bed, I was thinking about the past season of Advent and this new season of Christmas. I pondered how we are now shifting our focus from a time of listening and waiting into a time of jubilant celebration. I prayed that God would help me to celebrate all 12 days of this Christmas season with full joy and delight, and not move on too quickly into a working season.

As I lay there the Spirit brought to mind 2 words: ABOUT and WITH. He reminded me that during Advent I listened to a lot of stories "about" God and His interaction with the Israelites. I thought a lot "about" Him and wrote poems or created slideshows "about" Him. But in this season of celebration, He wants something different from me. He wants me to celebrate "with" Him. He wants me to practice His presence in each present moment - not looking back to the past nor moving into the future. He wants a "with-ness" with me.

So for the next 12 days, by the power (and reminder) of the Spirit, I want to practice that "with" in everything I do. After all, it is the very celebration of God-with-Us that we enter into.

Jesus, thank you for entering our world by the name "God-with-Us". Would You teach me what it is to celebrate that? Would you enter into all my daily activities - my time with my kids, friends, husband, and all I have to do - and remind me of Your immediate Presence there. And when I remember Your "with-ness", may it cause me to celebrate all the more!!