I find myself caught off guard by beauty this time of year- my town transformed by twinkling lights, the smell of cloves and ginger, the words to a carol, ringing truer than ever.
And the wonder invites me to be still. To come close and look carefully. To let awe and joy sink into my soul until I've memorized the moment.
And in a time where faith and hope can be buried under the grey contradictions life brings, I'm glad for these little moments of beauty, reminding me that this heart, this quiet, awestruck, admiration of beauty, is the heart I should bring to the center of Christmas, the heart that Mary had.
"But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Luke 2:19
So this Christmas, I'm letting cookies and lights and snowflakes remind me what faith can feel like. I want to draw near to the one in the manger, wonder at the Word become flesh, marvel at the beauty of God with us.
