Merry Christmas!!!


Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! It’s CHRISTMAS!

I can barely contain my excitement as my eyes pop open. No need to set an alarm! I wonder what plans there are for me today. I giggle a little as I turn over in bed, my pink fuzzy nightgown getting tangled in the sheets.

I force myself to lie still a little longer, knowing that the rule is I cannot wake Mommy or Daddy before seven o’clock in the morning to go open gifts. I wriggle in anticipation, staring at the clock and wondering how long I can contain this excitement. Surely 6:59 is close enough to 7:00. Surely. And that means I only have to wait 19 minutes… 19…

What waits for me under that tree? My mind turns over the possibilities, knowing what I asked for, wondering what surprises there will be. I know that whatever I get will be wonderful, because I know the people who gave them to me.

Not that I am not willing to be flexible. I won’t be disappointed with any gift given in love.

Finally, it is 6:58, which really is not that much earlier than 7:00 than 6:59 is. Plus it will probably take me at least 2 minutes to walk down the hall to their bedroom. Really. I bounce out of bed, promising myself to walk slowly even as I take long running leaps down the hall.

“Good morning, Mom and Dad! It’s CHRISTMAS!” I said, opening their door. They stare at me with bleary eyes and grins. My little siblings appear beside me as Mom and Dad climb out of bed. When they reach the doorway, we each take a hand and pull them toward the living room and the Christmas tree and the shining, wrapped packages underneath.

Then, I tear into it. The first bright package, neatly wrapped and shining. It’s all I hoped it would be. I squeal with delight and exclamations of gratitude pour from my lips.


***

Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! It’s TODAY!

I can barely contain my excitement as my eyes pop open. No need to set an alarm! I wonder what plans there are for me today. I giggle a little as I turn over in bed.

I force myself to lie still a little longer, inhaling the sweet aroma of the early morning when everything still smells fresh and new. I wriggle in anticipation, knowing that at any moment the uncontainable excitement will force me to bound out of the soft, warm bed into the morning air.

What does he have for me today? My mind turns over the possibilities, each one sweeter than the one before. Yet I know that nothing can compare to the reality that awaits me.

Not that I’m not willing to be flexible. He could never disappoint me. And if what I imagine isn’t what he has for me, I know whatever he has is better.

Finally, the moment comes—as I knew it would—when I can contain it no longer. I throw the covers back and my feet hit the soft, carpeted floor. I grin in expectation as I stretch, automatically entering a position of praise and adoration for the one who has given me…

Oh what is it? I can’t take it anymore. I know, I know, the gifts will come in their own time, but the first one… I can have that now. “Good morning, Yahweh,” I say. “What do you have for me today?”

Then, I tear into it. The first bright package, neatly wrapped and shining. The revelation. The Word. He whispers mysteries to me, and I squeal in delight, exclamations of gratitude inadequate, as other sounds flow from my mouth expressing what can’t be put into words.  

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