In the wee hours of the morning, just before the first rays of sun broke the dawn, my eyes would pop open, giddy with anticipation.
A Thrill of Hope
Weary. A word so fitting for souls who know the daily struggle of infertility and loss. How do you articulate the encompassing ups and downs, trials and victories, grace and tears, good days and really bad days? It is an unhinged roller coaster. Unpredictable. Exhausting. Just so wearisome.
How to Survive the Holidays
The most wonderful time of year? What happens when kids are jingle belling and everyone is telling you, “Be of good cheer,” and you just can’t do it? The lights are shining brightly everywhere except for your eyes and spirit, and every ounce of you wants to spend the season celebrating and rejoicing but deep down all you can focus on is the emptiness of your arms and the longing in your heart.
Surviving (all) the Holidays
Infertility, loss, and waiting are difficult enough without the constant reminders blaring bright red and green on your fridge in the form of effortlessly growing families. So, the big questions we are asking ourselves: how do we still celebrate the holidays? How do we survive without losing our mind or falling apart? We can do more than simply survive this season.
The Weary World Rejoices : Christmas Day
And because of THAT baby, we can have Hope now as we wait. Without that long awaited baby 2000 years ago, we wouldn’t be able to wait with such expectant hope now. A baby has come for you - remember that. While you wait for your own child, remember that you have received salvation because God came in the form of a baby - FOR YOU.
And let’s talk about how this baby came and what surrounded His entry into this waiting world. The Israelites were expecting a man to come in and take control as an earthly king and put all of Rome to shame. Don’t get me wrong, Jesus did that - but not how they expected it. Let’s just go ahead and list out all the things that didn’t seem “right” or expected for Jesus’ first coming…