For Christmas...

WELL my hubby was so awesome this year and bought me some smelly good stuff and cute knit brown boots and a lil stuffed Bobba Fett (who sits near my bed...for those of you who don't know I am a HUGE Fett fan) His dad got me some colts attire and socks and a cute little sign to hang in my home. I received a knit hat and scarf, a messenger bag made of burlap, beauty and the beast,and some awesome pj's from some of my friends. An amazing meal with friends, some time with family, catching up with persons that we just had not seen in forever. It was a great day. But I realized something very important. Life has so many seasons (as I talked about in a previous post) and you just never know when one season will start and end. Friendships, homes, jobs, pets, they all have seasons. I found myself missing a very hard season in our life that turned into a major blessing. When we lived in Illinois I thought it was going to be horrible and I remember being so sad when the holidays were approaching. We were so poor and felt so alone. People took us in though, and loved us. People made us part of their families and circle of friends without hesitation. Now when I look around I am surrounded by people I have known for most of my life and by family and familiarity, but there is this piece of me that aches for the people who took us in and loved us regardless of us being practically strangers. They, in a sense, are as much family as our real family...because they had no obligation to be there for us. I appreciate them now as much as I ever did...and just really wish they knew my gratitude. (I don't think I can even put it in words) I hope that if the situation is ever presented to me, that I will take people in as well and be there for them unconditionally...just like Christ has done for all of us. Takes us in, doesn't ask questions, and loves us. Those people during those hard times, they were Christ to us. The real meaning of Christmas. I guess I am just saying that you should always embrace the season you are in, even if it seems tough or weird or awkward or endless...because you will look back on it one day and see how strong it made you and how far you have come...and you may even find yourself missing it.