A Love Breaks Through

Talk about a winter the world had never known,
Talk about a silence that hardened up the soil; 
No more life left in Eden, but You knew the time would come...
'Cause You were growing up a family that You would call your own,
And through a fragile people the Light of Life would come,
And when it seemed like we'd never see Sprint,
Heaven gave a King!

Like an Amaryllis, blooming a Christmas,
When everything was cold and dark Your love broke through and You shined
With the brilliance of summer, Right in the middle of winter!
You came surprising the night, Like a Christmas Amaryllis...

Here I am waiting in a winter of my own
If it's gonna be this cold here, Why couldn't it just snow?
At least I could say through the pain that its somehow beautiful...
And everybody knows that the time to bloom is spring,
But You're asking me to break through the hardness of this freeze
And You say that You're with me and I can make it through anything...

Like an Amaryllis, blooming at Christmas
When everything was cold and dark Your love broke through and You shined
With the brilliance of summer, Right in the middle of winter!
You came surprising the night, Like a Christmas Amaryllis...

There are the rare and beautiful treasures 
That grown when it's the coldest when nobody's watching...
Sending a message to a sleeping world that You are here with us now
And you are making all things new again...

Like an Amaryllis, blooming at Christmas
When everything was cold and dark Your love broke through and You shined
With the brilliance of summer, Right in the middle of winter!
You came surprising the night, Like a Christmas Amaryllis...

- Amaryllis, Song by Christy Nockels

Oh how this “Christmas” song has so many meanings to me! I have pressed play and listened to this song at many points especially in the last five years, and it has given me that extra ounce of hope to press on.

I personally love everything about winter. Please don’t stop reading just because of this! I strive to not be annoying about this fact, but it is important for me to share today. You see, I love winter as much as others love summer. I also despise summer as much as others despise winter. So we are all on level playing ground here, correct? When others have a tendency for leaves falling and a chill in the air to be an onset for a season of being melancholy, I am just recovering from my season of being on the very edge of miserable from the heat and humidity that make every part of my body react in ways that most days I would really love to be back in Eden! (aka naked!)

Here’s my bottom line: Winter/Cold= you can put more clothes and blankets on! Summer/Hot= well it’s only legal to take so much off! Fall/Winter have the best holidays, in my eyes. I am a little bias because a lot of my family have birthdays also during this time 😊

Think about it with me. No matter the season. No matter what the people thought or predicted. God knew he would send His only Son. He knew the time, the place, the people, the circumstances, the weather, and most of all, that it would change the whole world for eternity! He knew that the people that would bring His son into the world didn’t need to be royalty or anything special. In fact, they only needed to be willing and obedient and humble enough to trust Him to lead the way. I can only imagine the mixed emotions and feelings and good and hard days that they had. And then to hold Jesus, the Light of Life. I would think it didn’t hit them right away, maybe, but I would think they were most likely just in awe of the baby in their arms, the tininess, the fragile, and beautiful human just arriving.

I love babies, most likely my very favorite thing in the world! I love children of all ages, but babies just have something that just draws me in. They have individual needs to be met, and I want to meet them, learn what works for them. Whether it’s a clean diaper or relieving gas or feeding or just snuggles. Left to themselves they can do nothing- granted they are tiny fighters that could beat some adults any day. They are learning their world, how it works, where they belong, what their role in the family and in the world is, they are growing and observing and it is such a blessing to watch!

Christmas is such a holy time to have a baby and/or children in your midst, don’t miss it!

I received a gift of a visit from a new grandmother and her granddaughter a few weeks ago. I telling you, if I could, I would have a nursery full in my house! Have mercy! I had a hard time letting my parents hold her and play with her! I just wanted to hold her and play and giggle with her. Blessing upon blessing! As all babies do she got a little bit fussy- my mom tried her trick- running water in the sink, this worked for a little bit. Then I just had to get her back 😊 I tried my “Lucy hold” which is take off her clothes and hold her tight against me in a really soft blanket. It worked for a little bit because she had some tummy bubbles pass. But the minute I tried to say something to someone, I had interrupted her peace and she was ready to play and talk! But the look on her face when I dared to talk… priceless!

And to be honest after they left, I cried. I was so happy to feel that joy that only a baby can bring!

It was a Christmas Amaryllis…

Picture today: My mom, dad, and niece a few years back when it snowed and snowed and snowed! My niece walked out the back door and just started sinking! She wanted to walk all the way down our long driveway, at the time, and guess who was too tired to walk back? 😂 These are the memories I love and hold ever so close these days! Christmas Amaryllis ❤️

Life Book of the Week: Knock, Knock! Who’s There at Christmas? (Lift the Flap book) by Moira Maclean