Greatest Gift

I have a lot of thoughts going through my head right now.  But Christmas is getting very close and I have been thinking a lot about home and all the Christmas traditions I will be missing this year, and a part of me is sad about this, but I am so excited to be here and share Christmas with my new mission family in Philly. 

I received a card from my sister yesterday and she so gladly wrote me a whole card filled of Christmas memories and traditions that I am missing this year.  I was laughing pretty hard at the silly things we have done, or gifts we have gotten, but I was also so grateful for some of things she mentioned. 

One of our favorite Christmas traditions as a kid was to act out the Nativity Scene every Christmas Eve at our Grandpa's house.  I remember being so excited every year to get to participate with all of my cousins and play an angel, or Mary, or sometimes a sheep or wisemen.  It didn't really matter we just liked to have a part.  My sister also mentioned that I am missing the 4 million nativity scenes that my mom has collected and placed all over our house. (And we're not kidding when we say she has a million.)  I was thinking about how each Christmas every shelf, table, and wall space is covered with nativity scenes.  I have my favorites but I love that when you walk in our home you cannot forget what Christmas is really about.  We are celebrating the birth of our Savior.

In that humble setting over 2000 years ago Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem.  I am so grateful for this time of year to really focus on the gift the Lord has given me.  I know that He died for me and that He Lives.  It really is amazing to reflect and think without the Savior we cannot find true joy.  I am so grateful, for the life He lived and gave, because that truly is the greatest gift of all.