Begun

     Waiting.  Waiting for the coming of the Messiah.  Almost here.
     Well, waiting... but working like a Trojan while waiting.  I was way behind this year.  As opposed to all the other years when I had it all together... yeah, right.  But, I must say, this year has been particularly disorganized.  I know we have a good excuse, but still, that inner Type A just keeps shouting, "Come on!  Get it done!  Who are you forgetting!  Hurry!"
      And so, finally, I sit before the tree, faithful old Moses at my feet, and I read the familiar, beautiful old words once again: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."  Once again, I'm awed by the wonder of it all: God moved into our neighborhood.  Our messy, disorganized, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes joyful neighborhood.
      He now lives here.  The Sovereign Almighty Lord.  Right here.  With us.  And He's never moving out of the neighborhood.  Even when I have a crummy attitude or am ungrateful or undeserving or utterly unbecoming.  He's staying right here.  I know.... because when He moved in on Christmas, He made it a permanent, done deal at Calvary.  Thank You thank You thank You, Lord Jesus.
     So Merry Christmas.  Just thought I'd include something beautiful I read from the book, Touching Wonder by John Blasé:
        "I AM.  I am the Mighty One.  Even though I AM beyond time, I have been and will be in all times: tomorrow, the now, even long ago.
     Humans have been shouting their question for millennia: Why in God's name won't You show up?  They say it when the moment seems to demand a force to do good: If you are God, then do something. But to show up in those moments would be to come in your name, not Mine.  My ways are not your ways.
     It was no different on the night in question.  The weary world pleaded for power.  I chose weakness.
     I had shaped Mary in her mother's womb, fashioned her from nothing into something.  I had crafted her frame so as to support the weight of her life.  Her days had been prepared before she lived even one.  I had gone before her, been behind, and on all sides.  I am the Mighty One.  And I was with her then as she writhe Love to live.
     She was brave.  Only Joseph by her side, a cramped place to give birth, noise everywhere.  And more.  As she screamed out in pain, the Deceiver stood ready to devour My Son.  The heavens shook with war.  Michael and his angels reeled.  Mighty One, do something!
     I AM.
     I had given My word: You'll give birth to your babies in pain. Mary held fast to hers: Let it be to me.   And so it was.
     Joseph thought Mary pushed.  The truth is, she shook and rocked on exhausted knees as I held her by My strong right arm and the brightness grew until she could bear no more.  Time pulled eternity from the womb of a girl, and bloodstained Love spilled on the hay.
     Bravely done, My child.  It is only just beginning."

     Thank You, Father, for sending the Son.  It has begun.  Your invasion of enemy-occupied territory by Love.  To God be the glory.