I did something new this year with my Christmas shopping. I asked Jesus what I should get my husband for Christmas. I’ve never thought to include Jesus in the shopping part of Christmas before. He was always the Manger and Messiah and Macy’s was always Christmas shopping Macy’s. I’ve separated man cave tools and new clothes from Frankincense, Gold, and Myrrh. This year it occurred to me that a praying wife can include being a praying shopper. It occurred to me I wanted my husband to have gifts chosen by Jesus. I loved that. Is it possible Jesus wants to be involved in the joy of Christmas morning too? Is it possible He knows how to fit all the pieces together for a perfect gift? The right budget, the right need, and the most fun gift. And is it possible when Jesus is answering, He’s answering more than Christmas gifts. He might be answering life gifts. My prayer about my husband: Dear Jesus, what would your son like for Christmas this year? You know him better than I and you know what would bring him joy or fill his need. You know his heart this Christmas. I’d like to know yours. Amen. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:3
This past year, my husband lost his father. And in many ways he said goodbye to life as he knew it. You’re not the same when people you love fall asleep in Christ and all you’re left with is time to wait, a new normal, and a life to keep living. You’re not the same when you can’t hold a wrinkled traveled hand anymore, push a dependent wheelchair to dinner, fix a memory, or say “sleep well Dad, see you tomorrow.” The greatest gift someone could give you in that passing moment of their life is the peace of waiting and the peace of living strong. Love didn’t die, but the person you loved did. This past year, my husband celebrated turning 50. His face lit up when Dodger Stadium became his day. Seeing Orel Hershiser, getting an authentic #22 Kershaw jersey, and eating a Dodger Dog brought a man to his inner boy! He sat between my daughter and I (“his girls”) and beamed for 3+ hours. They won the game. He won turning 50. This past year, my husband rented a Catamaran and sailed Mission Bay, San Diego for the first time. Free upon the open water, free from responsibility, and sporting flip flops, sun glasses, and swim trunks. He also sported a smile and a breath. Life rarely affords life through sun glasses. This past year, my husband became Head Elder in our church. His heart grew with the invitation, but his head grew with how to do it. We’re all on a journey with Christ, but few are on that journey in front of people. He’s embraced it, carried it, stressed from it, and loved it. He still is. He’s serving Christ and learning to let Christ serve him with help. He’s asking directions! This past year, my husband taught my daughter to drive. There’s something intimate about teaching your little girl to be a lady. There’s something bittersweet about teaching your little girl not to need Daddy’s help getting around anymore. And there’s something bonding about spending hours in the car building road rules and real relationships with your college-bound-high school-senior. This past year, my husband saw hundreds of patients, but more importantly, spent time nurturing hundreds of patients. They came with toothaches, crown needs, and questions. They left without fear and with fixes and feelings they mattered. It’s not always easy to meet people at their biggest fears and it’s not always easy to be the fear-fixer. He cares about more than their teeth so he takes time to show up at every chair side all day all week all year. That takes energy. This past year, my husband and I celebrated 25 years of marriage. Our anniversary theme became “infinity” and we hold that reason sacred and secret. It takes time in a year to be husband and wife. It takes work in a marriage to be present. And it takes committment in a relationship to be best friends. There’s many more things to this past year, some not privy to publishing in a blog, some too involved to blog about. Life is full. So this Christmas, with this past year in mind, I became a praying Christmas shopper. Dear Jesus, what would your son like for Christmas this year? You know him better than I and you know what would bring him joy or fill his need. You know his heart this Christmas. I’d like to know yours. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:3
I wonder what God would say if we asked him “What would your Son like for Christmas?” I imagine Jesus to answer “I want to go get them Father. I died for them and I want to go get them.” I imagine His list of “this past year” is more incredible than we can begin to imagine. The world is falling apart and so are the people. The hearts are choosing sides and showing it out loud more and more. The call to Christ is more distracted than ever and the choice for evil is dangled and destructive on all levels. Thickets. Lost lambs. Distracted lambs. Joy-craving, dream-seeking lambs. God’s people are straining and stronger at altering times. Angels are working overtime and the fight for salvation is alive. So is the fight for falling. We are part of the movement to usher love and courage faster than ever before while also trying to cope with a huge increase in unprecedented fires, wrecking ball earthquakes, massive and varying abuses, sick persecutions, financial and moral corruption, deathly diseases, and very broken lives. This past year has been full, but what “past years” are still to come before God opens the gate? God, what does your Son want for Christmas? And Jesus, I want to go get them Father. I died for them and I want to go get them. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:3
This world is not our home. And yet it is for right now. I crave asking Jesus about it. I’d like to know His heart and I’d like Him to take over mine. I crave asking Him how to give the gift of love and how to bring joy to people. I crave asking him how to rise to the courage it takes to be a Christian right now. I crave hoping Christmas morning will be someday soon, but also crave help doing the “before Christmas morning” world we live in. This writer humbly needs the Jesus in these words. I bet the reader does too. So in a complicated messed up world, I’m using this season to ask a loving question to Christ. What would your lambs like for Christmas? I’d like them to open a gift chosen by Jesus Himself? I only have this world to shop in, what do I get? It’s in the small things like Christmas shopping we might find a Jesus of detail. We might find a freedom in approaching Jesus. We might find a Jesus who loves being included and in turn shows up with more Jesus than you can begin to imagine. Yes please. Is it all just stuff under the tree? Maybe. But the prayer that went into that box of joy isn’t just stuff. It’s the main gift.
God, what does your Son want for Christmas? And Jesus, I want to go get them Father. I died for them and I want to go get them. He wants His “Christmas Morning” when His heavenly array of gifts and grace will explode everywhere across the sky and His holy and holey hands will bring us straight to His side. Until then, His Christmas wish is the same every single day of the year. To be Jesus to you. To take care of His lambs. “Jesus, Emmanuel, Shepherd, King, and Messiah, thank you. I need you. I can’t do this dumb world and this hard life alone. Can you take me to your new world soon and help me with my world now? My call to Christ is now. And while you’re handling my call to Christ, could you also let me know what to get from a worldly store that would bring Godly love to my husband this Christmas. You know him better than I and you know what would bring him joy or fill his need. You know his heart this Christmas. I’d like to know yours.” “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:3
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 1 John 3:1 (paraphrased)
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:3
Lamb Lines 