My youngest really has the Christmas spirit this year. His excitement is right off the charts. It's a good thing to watch as he tries to contain his impatience over the next few days. That enthusiasm may not be for all of the right reasons but it still makes life fun. He knows exactly what is on his list. He also knows exactly what to expect when it is present time. Many of us get a little stale over the holiday experience. Sometimes we may not even look forward to Christmas. I am grateful to be reminded of just how thrilling it can be as a child. His joy does my heart good.

He almost carried all of our presents to my vehicle tonight in anticipation of travel. Getting him to collect his video game stuff was not difficult at all. I don't even have to go into the whole naughty or nice routine. His bag is packed and ready to go. One thing he did tonight was a little peculiar. He got out of bed to come take a look at my port which comes out next Monday. I told him that I would need to go to the hospital tomorrow to sign papers for the procedure. My best guess is he wanted to be sure Dad would not run late tomorrow. So we had a brief conversations where I reminded him that the actual operation is next Monday. This seemed to put his mind at ease.

Adults can lose that overwhelming sense of anticipation for Christmas. Maybe some of this is because we also have the bills to pay for our purchases. Another reason is we are the ones who handle all of the details of transportation. Perhaps part of our coolness lies in the harsh reality of life both pre and post Christmas. We just simply get worn down by trying to get through another year. Christmas becomes another thing to survive rather than an explanation for why we do what we do. Christmas spirit must run deeper than the sentiment of the season. It is often described as magical but there is far more to the holiday than manipulating the facets of our celebration. Media depictions often aim for the emotions without taking into account the broad scope of Christmas. We may gain a small buzz from other stories but still miss the depth of the season.

Christmas is all about that incredible phrase telling us that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." God genuinely enters our world in human flesh. Jesus is more than a special baby. I am sure that to Mary and Joseph that he was an incredible gift. I think we tend to miss out on how a mother would feel for her son. We believe that Jesus was uniquely both God and man. Just don't overlook the man side of the equation. This is why our faith becomes thrilling. We trust God knowing full well that He understands us. Ours is not a distant deity who demands thoughtless service. Jesus knows what real life is like. He also lives in that mysterious capacity as God. A good friend is one who knows all about you yet accepts you as you are. Sounds just like Jesus to me. Christmas is about Jesus coming into the world to be more than a cute baby in a manger. Excitement rises out of our understanding of Jesus in the world. It is a timeless truth for young and old alike. My we recapture that hope for the holiday as well as the remainder of life.

Bro. Trey