The house had emptied. The blessed mess ignored. The twinkle lights still twinkling. And the younger children placed lovingly in bed.
I was brushing the silky hair of my older daughter when I saw her shoulders start to shake. I saw her wipe her eyes with her hands and I knew, without looking at her face, that she had tears falling down.
Oh my dear sweet girl.
I tied up the bottom of her braid and gently spun her around to wrap her tight against my chest. I held her. And I then held her longer. I pressed her forehead and nose against mine. I wiped her tears. Squeezed her thin body stronger, trusting that her words would come in the safe embrace of her Mama.
And they did.
"I just don't want the day to end..." She managed to form the words in my ear.
"Oh my baby... I know how you feel."
And I do know how she feels.
Christmas day as a child can feel magical. Too wonderful for words.
The delights of a beautiful home, a loving family, many gifts, good food, games and goodness. And then welcoming friends like family (because family is far), laughter filling the rooms, more good food, a joyous loving atmosphere.
There is really nothing like it. Who wants it to end?
Her heart was full and now the day must end and tomorrow must go on. And tomorrow will not be like today.
Sadness.
I understand.
But I can feel in my own heart and in the heart of my daughter what is really happening.
She is longing for something more.
The fullness of her heart after a day like today feels like home. Today felt like belonging. It felt right. It felt like the fullness of joy.
Because it was. It IS.
It is right.
My girlie was CREATED for more than this world has to offer.
She was created for days such as today. Days full of holy delights. Full of love. Full of friends and family. Full of the goodness of God. Full of worship. Full of the presence of God in the midst of all.
She was created for ETERNITY.
Yes. Eternity.
Just as I was.
Just as you were.
And the realization of what was happening in her spirit sunk into mine... my own eyes brimmed with tears as I told her of the things that filled my heart and thoughts. My heart poured out...
She was meant to exist in days like today.
She was meant to live an eternity of joyous, full-of-heart childlike Christmas days.
And those days will come.
He will come.
He came once many years ago to begin His Great Rescue Plan, and my hope is set on him coming again. He will come. I am certain of it. He will make all things right. He will take us home. And we will enjoy an eternity of beautiful full-of-heart days together in Him.
Maybe your Christmas day brings pain and not joy. I am deeply sorry. But take heart, for you were created for more. You were created to life an eternity of beautiful days with God and man in heaven.
Earth is not home.
Do you hear me?
We were not created to live in this place as it is now. With pain and hurt and sadness and sin and Christmas days that only come once a year. We were created for heaven. That is our design. And it will come to pass.
So of course there was a longing in my girlie's heart this night.
The longing is in my heart also.
I long for eternity.
Christ came as an infant. He lived perfectly yet has died to pay the price for our sins. He took our sin to make us clean so that we can enter the presence of a Holy God. All we must do is put our trust in Him. He will come once more and all will be settled at last.
Oh what a blessed Christmas night this is.
My own heart is full from a day full of holy delights and also from a hope for the future that is so much bigger than myself.
May you have peace and joy and HOPE for you and yours tonight, for we have much to look forward to in Christ.
He is coming to take us home, to live an eternity of full-of-heart days.
I was brushing the silky hair of my older daughter when I saw her shoulders start to shake. I saw her wipe her eyes with her hands and I knew, without looking at her face, that she had tears falling down.
Oh my dear sweet girl.
I tied up the bottom of her braid and gently spun her around to wrap her tight against my chest. I held her. And I then held her longer. I pressed her forehead and nose against mine. I wiped her tears. Squeezed her thin body stronger, trusting that her words would come in the safe embrace of her Mama.
And they did.
"I just don't want the day to end..." She managed to form the words in my ear.
"Oh my baby... I know how you feel."
And I do know how she feels.
Christmas day as a child can feel magical. Too wonderful for words.
The delights of a beautiful home, a loving family, many gifts, good food, games and goodness. And then welcoming friends like family (because family is far), laughter filling the rooms, more good food, a joyous loving atmosphere.
There is really nothing like it. Who wants it to end?
Her heart was full and now the day must end and tomorrow must go on. And tomorrow will not be like today.
Sadness.
I understand.
But I can feel in my own heart and in the heart of my daughter what is really happening.
She is longing for something more.
The fullness of her heart after a day like today feels like home. Today felt like belonging. It felt right. It felt like the fullness of joy.
Because it was. It IS.
It is right.
My girlie was CREATED for more than this world has to offer.
She was created for days such as today. Days full of holy delights. Full of love. Full of friends and family. Full of the goodness of God. Full of worship. Full of the presence of God in the midst of all.
She was created for ETERNITY.
Yes. Eternity.
Just as I was.
Just as you were.
And the realization of what was happening in her spirit sunk into mine... my own eyes brimmed with tears as I told her of the things that filled my heart and thoughts. My heart poured out...
She was meant to exist in days like today.
She was meant to live an eternity of joyous, full-of-heart childlike Christmas days.
And those days will come.
He will come.
He came once many years ago to begin His Great Rescue Plan, and my hope is set on him coming again. He will come. I am certain of it. He will make all things right. He will take us home. And we will enjoy an eternity of beautiful full-of-heart days together in Him.
Maybe your Christmas day brings pain and not joy. I am deeply sorry. But take heart, for you were created for more. You were created to life an eternity of beautiful days with God and man in heaven.
Earth is not home.
Do you hear me?
We were not created to live in this place as it is now. With pain and hurt and sadness and sin and Christmas days that only come once a year. We were created for heaven. That is our design. And it will come to pass.
So of course there was a longing in my girlie's heart this night.
The longing is in my heart also.
I long for eternity.
Christ came as an infant. He lived perfectly yet has died to pay the price for our sins. He took our sin to make us clean so that we can enter the presence of a Holy God. All we must do is put our trust in Him. He will come once more and all will be settled at last.
Oh what a blessed Christmas night this is.
My own heart is full from a day full of holy delights and also from a hope for the future that is so much bigger than myself.
May you have peace and joy and HOPE for you and yours tonight, for we have much to look forward to in Christ.
He is coming to take us home, to live an eternity of full-of-heart days.
Merry Christmas, for the one who has come to save us from our sins has come to earth. Hallelujah.
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