Lily's First Christmas.

I'm sure this will be the last blog for the year as we head to Oklahoma this weekend for our Christmas Vacation. Each year we gather with parents, siblings, grandparents and friends, and each year the dynamics always seem to change. Some years we add new members via births and marriages; and some years the table is a little emptier with the loss of a dearly loved family member. This year as we gather around the tree to open presents and the table to eat dinner, there will be a couple of new baby girls that will experience the insanity that is our family Christmas.

I just wish that Lily could have met my Grandmother and my Aunt Mary.

It wasn't too long after my Mamaw and Papaw passed away in the early 1980's that my little sister was born. I remember hearing my dad tell us how much he wished that his mom and dad could have met, held, known, and rocked Rebecca. I feel the same way about Lily. There was something Rockwellian about Christmas, as we knew in one corner of our den would sit one of the Ledbetter matriarchs casually rocking with a gentle (almost mischievous) smile taking in the wonder of family. Although my Aunt Mary and my Grandmother were very different they were both perfect in their own right. Gosh, I miss them.

I bet you have a similar story. This summer Shauna lost her Grandma Staude and I know her story would sound almost identical.

But, then again there is this little thing called Christmas that changes everything. I mean if we can get a perspective that is a little larger than the hear and now, we will eventually run smack dab into HOPE. On our family Christmas card we quoted the verse out of Matthew that says, "Behold the virgin will give birth to a Son, and they will call his name Immanuel, which translates 'God with us.'" So, here it is: Jesus was born that we might be born again; He lived that we might find purpose; He died that we might be free; and, he rose again that we might have HOPE.

There is no question that one day there will be a celebration of the birth of Christ where we will understand the fullness of this December holiday. Where presents will give way to presence. I know it's speculative, but, perhaps the conversation may go something like this:
"Lily, that lady in the corner who looks as beautiful as heaven itself... that's your great grandmother Blanche. And, the other lady who personifies strength and character... that's your great great aunt Mary. And the other one. The one with that beautiful smile who is obviously the life of the party... that's your great grandma Staude." There will be hugs and there will be smiles there may even be soap-on-a-rope (a gift my Aunt Mary gave me when I was about 10 years old).

If there was no other reason than HOPE, it is enough to embrace the true meaning of this great HOLYday.