Our Christmas

For some reason, the week leading up to Christmas was full of difficult news.  Not only did we face some discouragements here at home, but we also found out about the death of our friend's sister, the death of a precious boy with Joubert Syndrome whom we met this summer, as well as being burdened by hardships that different family members are going through.

Yet in a strange way, the gloom and mourning was the most appropriate backdrop to thinking about Jesus this Christmas.  Thinking about the troubles and sufferings of this life that many people endure accentuated the brightness, hope, and beauty that Christ brings to us.   What we've come away with in our home this Christmas is a greater desire to love Him more, compelled by Him loving us first.  Our hearts are full.

Mike has been on a long vacation from work, and Marcus is on a break from school and most of his therapy, so it's been a very restful time for our family as well.  Here is how we spent our Christmas week.