christmastime is here.

that's right. christmastime is here. (great... now i have that song from "charlie brown christmas" stuck in my head. you do too, right?? so sorry...)

this is my absolute *favorite* time of the year. i love everything about it. the decorations, time with family, good food, snow, the classic christmas movies, the coziness of it all. nick&i love this season for another reason, too. four years ago we met this time of the year, and went on our first "date" (with a group of people) a few days before christmas. lots of memories. we have enjoyed creating christmas traditions of our own. decorating, watching our favorite christmas movies, going to see lights in this cute little texan town nearby. now that we have bella, it's especially fun. christmas includes children's books like "the grinch who stole christmas" and fuzzy-footie- christmas-pajamas and observing her wide-eyed wonder as she looks at christmas lights for the first time.

one of my favorite things about christmastime is putting up our tree. i have always loved the idea of having a tree decorated with memories... that's what ours is and i absolutely love it. it may not look like a christmas tree from hgtv, but it's ours so it's even better.

(enter: cheesy-ness. i do apologize)

as i look at our tree, i can't help getting all warm&fuzzy inside. i see all the ornaments, and so many of them represent different moments in our life as a little family. a starbucks mug ornament nick bought me when we were out on a date a few years ago at christmastime. two ornaments--a cross and a star--that nick and i painted and made at a christmas party a few years ago before we were married. some gingerbread men and a snowman given to me by one of my dearest friends when i spent thanksgiving with her family back in my single-seminary-student days. a sweet little ornament made by the child in africa that nick has been sponsoring for the past five years. a heart pendant that nick gave me our first christmas as husband and wife. baby booties, a picture frame with one of bella's songogram pictures, her cute little handprint ornament that we made... i love all of these things because they remind me how incredibly *blessed* i am.

it's easy for me to get wrapped up in all the warm and cozy things this season--even good things like family, friends and giving to others--and easily forget the biggest reason we celebrate christmas: the birth of our lord and savior, jesus christ. it is through him that we have the greatest gifts of all... unconditional love, grace, peace, joy and the promise and hope of an eternity spent in his presence. pretty sure the materialistic gifts we give each other--the diamond jewelry (you think this post is cheesy? don't even get me started on those god-awful commercials), the gift cards, the latest gadgets--don't hold a candle to the gifts that christ's birth brought us so many years ago.

i am so blessed this christmas season for so many reasons, but the greatest reason of all is jesus. my life--and yours--changed forever in that lowly stable when a baby boy was welcomed into the world by shepherds and cattle. it is because of him that i have anything... "every good and perfect gift comes down from the father of heavenly lights" (james 1:17)

it is by his grace that i am healed, through his love that i am comforted and because of his perfect peace that i find the greatest sense of joy. these are the *best* gifts to celebrate at christmastime.

"and the angel said

'do not be afraid, i bring you good news of great joy

that will be for all people.

today in the town of david a savior has been born unto you;

he is christ the LORD...

glory to god in the highest,

and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.'"

(luke 2:10-11, 14)

merry christmas! may you enjoy all of the greatest gifts this christmas season and rejoice in the greatest gift of all.