We’ve come to the final week of the Advent season. If you’ve missed the previous posts, you can check them out now. I’ve written about hope, peace, and joy in the past three weeks.
This last week focuses on love. I’m sharing one more cartoon from my Christmas card archives. The one shown above pokes a little fun at all the trouble we go to in the name of love for our friends and family. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, things just don’t work out as planned. And doesn’t that seem to be the case especially at Christmastime?
The best of intentions
We have the best of intentions of showing our loved ones how much we care. We’re going to get our cards out early. We’re going to find and buy that perfect gift and cook the perfect Christmas dinner. But sometimes—maybe it feels like most of the time— things happen to make it less than what we dreamed it would be.
But love isn’t about performing, buying, decorating, or any of those things—as good as they might be. Love is found simply in the offering.
The best of gifts
In the gospel of Luke, we read that the angels announced the good news of a Savior to shepherds out in the fields. It was God’s announcement of His gift—His offering of love to all mankind.
“And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10-11).
It was the announcement that the world had been waiting for—the gift of life and love from the Creator and sustainer of life had arrived. Everything wasn’t perfect. Far from it. The first Christmas must have been a difficult, inconvenient experience for nearly everyone involved. But the tiny gift that was delivered that night changed the world for all time.
Today, when we allow true love to enter our lives, it changes everything. My hope for everyone reading this is that you will experience the true love of your Creator this season.
Thank you for reading these Advent posts and for visiting with us here at Inspiring Handmade. Merry Christmas!
Did you stumble upon this blog? Or maybe a friend shared it with you. Subscribe and never miss a post, or announcements about new art from Patti Jones or Stephen Rountree.
Go to the full page to view and submit the form.