Peaceful!!

December 8, 2024

As Christmas approaches, I’m once again reminded of why this is my favorite 1/12th of the year. Twinkling lights strung across buildings; evergreen wreathes placed on doors; big, red bows, perfectly wrapping everything up… it’s truly magical! I love the days that perfectly couple cool crisp air with clear blue skies, when you can walk around and soak in all the cheer. I equally love the days that are a little too gray and cold and blustery, when all you can really do is snuggle in with a hot cup of whatever it is you like to drink and a good movie/book/puzzle/whatever it is you like to do on a dreary day.

I really have fallen in love with Italy at Christmastime. The market in Piacenza is subpar compared to most Christmas markets around here, but it’s still cute seeing the stands that look like little wood cabins set up in the town square selling all sorts of yummy treats. I had churros from one of them for lunch today (score!). Each weekend there are different pop-up artisan markets in old churches throughout town, which are always fun to stroll through after getting a cup of cioccolata calda or vin brule. The community really comes together too! At nighttime there are little games set up in the square among the market stands and light fixtures, and everyone is in such a merry mood.

While I have enjoyed the markets and decorations, I’ve spent most of my time the past few days curled up in bed around a hot water bottle with my space heater on full blast, reading the book equivalents of hallmark movies and drinking a bottomless cup of tea. Needless to say I have been absolutely loving life. The holiday season can be so so busy between gift shopping and exams and parties and appointments and graduations and basketball games and deadlines, etc. but it really should be a season of peace. We are celebrating the coming of the Prince of Peace, after all!

Sometimes when I take more than a day to really rest, I feel guilty, like my time could be better spent doing something else. I don’t want to squander this season and I only get one life, ya know? But then I think of the story of Jesus. He was never in a hurry. God could have sent an adult to come into the world and change it, but instead he sent a baby. Jesus didn’t start his ministry till he was about 30 years old. Of course, in those 30 years he wasn’t doing nothing; he was working hard, studying the Word, and walking with God. In those 30 years, the world was holding its breath and waiting for God’s promises to be fulfilled, rather impatiently if I may add, but Jesus was walking slowly, immersing himself in life as a human, and waiting for his season to come.

God is not a hurried God. Anyone who has ever been in a season of waiting knows that to be true. But if God isn’t hurried, we don’t need to be either.

Because of Jesus we are free! And God didn’t send His son to the world to save us just so we could be busy, doing good works and pretending they are favors for Him. He doesn’t need us, but He wants us. He loves us. Jesus came so that we could be adopted into his family. He took on all our sins so that we may have life and have it to the full. We are fully loved and fully known by our Creator! And we didn’t even have to do a thing.

Instead of running around thinking of all the gifts you have to buy this season, try to slow down and take a breath, and remember THE gift we have already been given: the gift of grace, which was given to us by the Prince of Peace.

In A Charlie Brown Christmas, Linus talks all about the true meaning of Christmas. If you want to really get into the true Christmas spirit, I recommend opening up The Bible checking out the book of Luke this month :) Grace & peace to you!!