hopeful

With the sounds of live streaming worship, I write this from the couch in the living room. Scott and Morgan are attending. Matthew is nearly asleep in his crib. And Andrew, still fighting sickness, is struggling to sleep in his bed. The fever is gone, but the longing for his momma is not. A sure sign that he is not yet himself.

We are separated tonight. No family picture by the tree at church in our Christmas best. No detour to look at twinkling lights. The bumps of life, the sadness I feel tonight about our circumstance, only brings more longing for the day when we won't have to deal with such messes any more.

But the anticipation is still here. The excitement about Christ's birth, the celebrating, the joy of hope. All here. It doesn't look or feel like what we expected. But life never usually does.

Merry Christmas, from our family to yours.