Sarah and I spent this evening erecting and beginning to decorate our first Christmas tree. I'm sure we even beat the folks in Santa Claus, Indiana! The date will live in infamy - November 13, 2010. Perhaps even more surprising than the early date is the fact that Sarah tolerated my constant instruction on the proper tree-shaping technique - one of the most useful things I learned during my time at Kmart. Here's a short video of the completed project... Oh, and you might have to crane your neck to the left in order to see what's going on.
Now, as beautiful as our tree is (thank you, thank you), let's not forget the reason for the season - the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, who died to forgive the sins of those who love Him, that they might be saved from eternal death and worship Him forever.
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.
Luke 1:26-35
Grace and peace be with you all this Christmas season!
Braden & Sarah
