Christmas Day

Christmas Day Drive to the Beach On Christmas Day our little family went to pick up trash on the local beach, which was particularly destroyed by a couple of recent hurricanes and the general partying that takes place there. For those who know me, this doesn’t surprise you as a Christmas activity of ours (please see Emma in the car on the way back, below. Note her shirt as well). This activity wasn’t planned; it was just decided by Anthony and I that morning. That morning, Emma found a beautiful, but very recently dead fish, and carried it around as a small pet. Anthony picked up bottles and plates farther down the beach as I was quietly reflecting on that beautiful, but dead, fish, and the hideous trash within this otherwise gorgeous setting. I realized that I was essentially looking among the natural debris of this setting (coral, branches, rocks, shells, leaves), for spots of bright red (Coca-Cola caps), bright blue (Pepsi), dark black (Dove and L’Oréal deodorant, as well as shoes), bright orange (discarded medicine bottles), or bright white (Styrofoam). Ultimately, I was looking for the unnatural, man-made colors, not typical of the beach. My mind wandered, as minds do, and I began to think on the other ‘unnatural’ we have in this world; the ugly things like violence, injustice, corruption, greed, lust for things and people, poverty, virus, and death. Deep down, where our conscience lies, we know these parts of life don’t ‘feel’ right. COVID certainly felt horrific and unnatural at several points this year. Death itself doesn’t seem like it was meant to be a part of this world. We feel the truth of the unnatural in our bodies when a loved one leaves this world or when we see a heinous taking of life. In a year like 2020, we can ask incessantly, “Why?” A simple act of picking up the unnatural on a beach to put it where it belonged (the trash, then an incinerator), reminded me that our conscience being knows this world is a wreck, with events and attributes it should not have. In 2020 especially, everyone noticed that things have really gone 'wrong.' But there is something else many have noted this year. We have such beauty, too. For example, life in the midst of a crazy year (new life, good life, recovering life), or good acts, kindness, care, and love. Creation itself often takes our breath away as planets show themselves in the night sky, as the sun sets, as I look at a seashell on that very same beach and see the detail and the beauty in creation. As one begins to think about the insane miracle of our body, what it produces, heals, fights off, and does for us every single day, it's almost unbelievable- except here we are, living proof. In that same conscience which knows something has gone wrong, we also recognize the miracles. The body itself speaks of a creator. The placement of the sun speaks of extreme purpose and care. The wonders of the oceans, the skies, and the earth all take our breath away in awe. If the Creator had purpose, then the creation has purpose, too. We have meaning! Intrinsic value. We are worth something, most especially to the One who created. Our creator is not a Santa Clause, imaginary and purely gifting in response to a list we ‘gave’ while his happy little elves work on snow-covered ground. Our creator is not a distant Greek god, with lightning as his scepter, fighting off other innumerable gods. No! This next part is what we want you to know, to take joy in, it is the ‘why.’ Our creator walked among us. He sent His--and this part is crazy- so prepare yourself for it -- He sent His Son, to be BORN OF a HUMAN. God Himself, sent a part of Himself, a holy perfect divine being, to experience life as we know it, as one of us. To be born, to have hunger, to cry, to mourn the death of a friend, to walk, to have friends, to sleep, to thirst, to feel pain and rejection, to teach, to work, and to LOVE. To know us. Intimately-as one of us. He appeared, and the soul felt its worth. Our God sent His Holy son, whom He knew since before time existed, to be born a human. Ultimately, He sent this Son one Christmas morning, to die. This is not a holiday story. In fact, this is not just a story. This is real. Jesus of Nazareth, son of Joseph and Mary, born of the Holy Spirit with the Creator Himself, was a baby born in Bethlehem, during the census and reign of a fearful emperor. He was born of a virgin girl, amongst smelly farm animals. He was from a lowly town, of a lowly, but faithful, couple. He lived in the Middle East. He grew up. He had parents. He made friends and went to parties. He healed disease and sickness. He preached. He upset the local religious people. He turned over tables when He saw corruption. He ate and drank. He wept. He welcomed the children. He loved. He died. He died the death of a criminal-naked, alone, bleeding, spat on, and mocked, wearing a crown of thorns. The King of Kings. He died so that we might be ransomed, made right with the Creator. The Creator accepted His perfect Son's death as the payment for our crimes on this earth. The Creator’s son died as we should have. So now what? What to do with this baby in the manger, who lived to die? There is one thing all must first do. Accept it. Take great joy in it as truth. That it happened, in real time, on this earth. That He loves you, His beautiful creation, one He calls child. That He has a purpose for you. That He knows you, all the natural parts and all the parts about yourself that make you cringe. That He is not distant, but near. That He walked among us, was one of us, and yet was born of God. Accept Him as the one who can save, then fall in love with Him as you get to know Him more. If not, then He grants you life as you will on this earth, but ultimately to die without Him. The good news? Christ Himself, who knew the creator, who was with Him, died separated from God, as penance, so that we don’t have to. He was the sacrificial lamb so that we don’t have to be. He defeated death (there was no body in His grave), because we are not able to. He rose again 3 days later and appeared to thousands, because He was also God, and lived perfectly amongst temptation. He is perfect, but we know full well that we are not. We are created and choose to participate in ugly things, in action and word, as human beings. We might pick up the trash on the beach, but we also put it there in the first place. We participated, in some way, in the destruction, in the unnatural of it all. It is in our DNA since the day humans have chosen that path. This Christmas, and every Christmas, we hope you know that there is a creator. If someone created us, we have purpose, and The Creator has a plan for us. He cares for us perfectly. He cares for us through His son, sent on Christmas day. There is a Savior, and He does far more than remove the unnatural and put it in the ‘trash.’ He wipes it clean, as if it is not there, as if it didn’t happen in the first place. He makes it new. He saves you from all of it, even as you live amongst it, like He lived amongst it over 2000 years ago. He knows what you are experiencing. He knows you. He came for a reason. And that reason is you. So, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. It is time to believe. “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” Romans 1:16 Pray this prayer as a way to tell God you trust and believe He is the creator, who came to earth, to save us from ourselves, our sins. “Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior.” Note: Please let me know if you prayed that. Second note: If you wanted to read about our current happenings, I am sorry. What you have read is far more important, I promise. However, we will send another update soon! Third note: The long-awaited (over 1 year) container of your gifts dating back to December 2019 are on their way and set to arrive any day! Thank you for your love and support *CURRENT NEED*:  We are in need of 1000 dollars in order to buy a lab machine which will help us see if patients have recently had a heart attack. We've never had this machine. A few of Anthony's wonderful cardiology friends have helped us raise money towards it. We can buy the machine in country, with the $1000. If you can donate this, and help us immensely, please click here to donate towards that, and let us know you did! Type in 'Miele' to give directly to us.