Life has changed for me over the last couple of years. Within a 13 month timeframe, we have lost 10 members of our family on both mine and my husband's side of the family. The closest were my mother in June of 2012 and my brother in March of 2013. I have also had an aunt and several cousins and my husband has had 2 uncles and an aunt to pass.
My "core", as my husband says, has been lost. Although I have "half" and "step" siblings who I love dearly, the 2 people who have been with me all of my life are no longer here. This is what really brings me to this post.
On Christmas Eve, my family has always gotten together to eat, open gifts and just spend some quality time together enjoying all that Christmas really means: faith, family, and future. We embrace our faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us so that we could have eternal life. We embrace our family as special gifts from God the Father and love each other with a thankful heart to have each other. Finally, we embrace our future, living a life pleasing to God by listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit to guide our footsteps.
But as life goes on without my "core", I also realized that my Christmas Eve tradition is no longer a reality. So instead of just sitting at home and getting emotional about all that I've lost, my husband and I have decided that it is time for a new tradition. So this year, we have decided to visit some people who are elderly or shut-in. Whether it's singing some Christmas Carols off-key, taking food baskets, or simply just showing others that we care about them, I think "our new" tradition will live on. We will still be able to share our faith with others, add "new" members to our family and look to the future as being able to spread the Love of Jesus to at least a little part of our world!
May God Bless each of you this year and throughout the rest of the years of your life and see what God would have you do to "Be a Blessing this Christmas" and all the other days that God gives us.
