emmanuel... God with us

I wanted to show you photos of a frame I created with some of the lyrics from "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" but forgot to load them before we took off to New York. Of course. I'll post them when I return.

I found a frame on the side of the road (what else is new?) and wanted to fill it with something meaningful that would remind AJ and I (and any guests to our home) about the real reason for Christmas... it's so easy to get caught up in the buying and getting of gifts, the food and finding the perfect outfit to wear to that holiday party. Trust me, that's me all the way.

About three weeks ago AJ and I bought a condo to rent out. And was disgusting. I wanted this condo to be mostly my project, I thought it would be good for AJ to have some time with Drew, particularly because he did 99% of the work on the house we planned on flipping (and rented). So a couple of Saturdays I got up at 5:15am and drove up to Gloucester before anyone was up so I could crank out some work painting, cleaning and generally making the place habitable. My mom had given me some Christmas CDs to listen to and as I was driving up one morning so early I was struck by Steven Curtis Chapman's version of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel". As I sat on this dark street in Gloucester pre-6am (what is wrong with me?!?!?) I started to cry at the incredible hope offered in the meaning of the song, particularly in the meaning of the word Emmanuel. How often in our busy-ness do we forget the meaning of that word, Emmanuel: GOD WITH US? If we truly believed it how different, and hope-filled, would our lives be?

I wanted to save this thought for the last day of the Twelve Days of Christmas because I want to remind myself in writing it that Christmas is so much more than how I decorate my house, the food we will eat tomorrow (or honestly, that I just finished munching on now) or the gifts that I've tried to put thought into... it is the promise and hope that not just on Christmas, but DAILY we have a God who is present and with us minute by minute... and THAT my friends is the number one thing that I want to be celebrating tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after that.

Merry Christmas!
Love,
Jen

PS: On a different note, I had a lot of fun doing a series during these past twelve days... any ideas for another one? I know that next Monday I'll be starting up Makeover Monday, because, really, who doesn't love a good before and after. And no, I'm not talking about a Stacy and Clinton makeover. I'm talking tables, dressers, chairs, wardrobes. Our first makeover will be Grandma's table handed down to Morgan and Mike Roy and our second will be a project I'm just dying to start when I get home... and that's all I'm going to tell you. :)