Tis the Night Before Christmas.

      December 24th at about 3pm in the afternoon.  I'd had some smooth sailing through getting the sink plumbed and the drain hooked up in the second bathroom at my place.  I've been waiting for a break in the nursing classes to get back at it.  I was driving to Rhinelander after some more materials I needed, listening to a CD which I had piled all sorts of Celtic and Irish Christmas songs and carols onto, enjoying "Unto Us a Child is Born".

      I thought, "Yes", this is good.  I'm feeling the joy here.  God, in this baby boy whom we ponder over on this day every year, coming in the person to reconcile the world back to Himself.  What a day, what a time in eternity, it was when God came to visit one of probably His many worlds, and let them know that He is out there, and that all of His creation means something to Him.

      But then I thought, "Would I be feeling this joy if it were not for this great piece of home-made fruit cake I'm chewing on?".  "This great music on a pretty good car stereo system?" Or the memory back through the years of all of the good worldly lusts and pleasures I have satisfied during the Christmas season?  Without those, would I still be feeling this joy?  About the child born unto us?  No, it would be a different sort of joy.  Much, much greater.  Much more real.  Much more joyous.  I mean, scream and get out of your mind kind of joy.  Now.  That's joy.  And if it turns into a memory, get rid of it.  And turn your mind again to the living God.  Jehovah!!!  Jesus' Father.  Our Father, who calls the ones who are led by Him "His" children.  Who made us with the ability to both love Him in return, or reject Him and follow after our own misconceptions, and be left behind. So we follow Him, through the Bible, where He reveals His Spirit to us, and our spirit to us, and offers to join His Spirit with ours, and make us His sons (male and female);  in such a way that, "...All who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14).  "But though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. (2Co 4:16 NAU)  

"The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,...".

      He finally brings us truth -- knowledge of the existence of the Father, and who the Father is.  He brings us news of something greater.  'Good news', which is the very definition of the word 'gospel'. News that can produce a work of a different sort in us; news that makes the 'once invisible' now 'visible'.  Full of life and light.  An invisible yet tangible presence in our understanding, in our inward parts; a discernible presence that wants us to become familiar with Him.  The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.  (Romans 5:5)   

"These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full."
(John 15:11)

      It pleased God that "unto us" a Savior would be born to call us back to Him, our Creator and Father, that our joy may be made full, and that the kind intention of His will toward those who love Him be made known to them.  He made us not just to return to dust, but to chose to return to Him.

Something that can make one turn away in astonishment and awe from the cookies.