On being present

I've been thinking a lot about Christmas lately. It's a strange season for me, it always has been. And lately I've been downright dismissive of it. I come to find out that it's because I never really understood it.

I realized that it's about God becoming present in our lives. And for him to become present he must have been absent for that to have much meaning. I know about absence. It's been almost two years since Dad passed now. And I'd love to hear the same old fishing stories one more time, but I won't. It's taken me this long to make peace with that.

What Christmas means to me this year is that no matter how bad it gets -- and I know it can get pretty bad -- that God comes to us without condition. He becomes present. Even if we try to dismiss him along with the rest of Christmas. I can think of no greater gift.

Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas.