I hate to wait. I will avoid it at all costs. I will fill wait time with making to-do lists, checking Facebook on my phone, reading the book that stays in my purse in case I find myself waiting somewhere. I really have no idea how to wait, really wait. With undivided attention and focus on what is to come.
But, I'm realizing God needs me to learn how to wait and to fill my wait time with Him. To use that time to think about and pray to him, to focus on what is to come with undivided anticipation. This is especially true when the thing I am waiting on is the celebration of the birth on my king on Christmas day.
Christmas eve service at our church has become a family tradition that I hate to miss. It's our time to slow down, to stop the Christmas elfing that has to be done, and await the celebration of our savior Jesus. To sing and worship and thank him with undivided hearts and agendas.
Sam's favorite song right now is "Bless the Lord, O My Soul," and it was on the song list for service tonight. We stood and sang it together, and it made Sam's night to know the words to a song in big church. To hear his sweet little two-year old songbird voice singing this song is to know the joy of the Lord when we sing praises to him. It was a special time of real waiting on this Christmas eve.
After service, we visited Carl the camel waiting in the lobby of our church for all to see, because a Christmas eve service isn't complete if there's not a camel involved, right?!
We returned home to put the final touches on our first Christmas at home as a family. The stockings are hung, the gifts are all wrapped, the cookies and milk are set out. The nativity is complete, the little one is asleep. And now, we wait...
