It’s my fourth favorite day of the year!  Followed by Thanksgiving. Christmas Day, and the last day of school, Christmas break began for us today at 3:15 p.m. following the boys’ parties at school.  We have a house full of girls from Em’s Bible Study for their Christmas sleep-over and the house smells of gingerbread cookies and buttercream frosting.  While life certainly doesn’t slow down in the coming days, knowing my babies are home with me for 2 weeks is such a sweet gift.

The more busy we get and the more to-do’s on the list this year, the more I really want to slow down and take time to just savor these last few days before Christmas.  I so badly need a break so having no school schedule to tend to is welcome!  I am so enjoying my quiet time and reflecting on the Christmas story.  One of the traditions we did growing up that we have continued with our children is reading the Christmas story before we open gifts on Christmas.  Every year my Dad would read from Luke 2 and it was so special.  Taking an entire day to break away from life and celebrate the gift of our Savior is such a blessing and I loved starting it that way.  As you prepare Him room I hope you are able to break away and be blessed by the story of that first Christmas….

Luke 2:1-20 New International Version (NIV)

The Birth of Jesus

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,  and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.