For December 10th:

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means “God with us”).” Matthew 1:23

Christmas is a time to experience the birth of Jesus. His birth in our hearts, and then His birth in life around us. Immanuel. God with us. Last Christmas, I witnessed Christ’s birth in seemingly unexpected places. But then again, His birth is always in my midst (Immanuel) if only I look for it.

            I saw Christmas in the baptism of a child. I was blessed to be able to capture “on film” the precious moments when this beautiful baby, already born of woman, was adopted as a child of God. The baptizer was honored to sprinkle the Holy water over the crown of his own grandson, and I was awestruck by the hallowed event. Immanuel. Jesus, born in the hearts of new grandparents.

            I saw Christmas in a house full of cousins. We gathered, as we have for the past 30 years, on Christmas morning for brunch at my father and mother-in-law’s house, along with all of my husband’s sister’s families (he is the oldest of five). If we are all able to attend, there are usually around 23 of us. It is always very loud but always a joyous occasion. There was an unexpected addition to our crowd this year that made it even more so. My brother and sister-in-law were the foster parents to a 17 year old in addition to their own 3 teenagers. This young man has been shifted from one foster family to another over his lifetime, and was befriended by my nephew through school a couple of years ago and spent quite a bit of time with their family as a friend. When it seemed that once again he would be facing a shift in living arrangements he asked if they would be his foster parents. They agreed, completed all the required classes and paperwork and it was official this Fall. If you had been a stranger in our midst, you would never have known which of the 11, now 12, grandchildren was the foster child. He stood out in the group physically, but was accepted and included as much as the others as equal. Immanuel. Jesus, born into the world of teenagers.

            I saw Christmas at a wedding. I have never attended a wedding during the Christmas season. I was blessed by how inspirational the ceremony was through the choice of music, the decorations, and the vows taken. Immanuel. Jesus, born in the union of faith-filled newly-weds.

            I saw Christmas at a funeral. A friend’s father passed away during advent. Of all the concerts, services, and parties I attended last year, that celebration of a life here on earth was the most evident of Immanuel, God with us. What an amazing testimony of what a life lived for Christ looks like. I left longing to live his kind of life, because by the eulogies given in his honor, his life was a dress rehearsal for where he is now. While he was here, he experienced Immanuel. Now, he is with Jesus, born again in eternity.

Jane Newman