Merry Christmas, friends! Below you will find our annual Christmas letter; a few of you may have received one in the mail, but I wanted the rest of you to have it as well. I hadn’t planned on writing one this year; life got busy and crazy all in one breath, and I was using this reality as my excuse for not having to write one. But then while out walking a couple of weeks ago, God impressed one phrase upon my heart, “from afar.” I had no idea where it would take me when I returned home to put pen to paper, but the following message was the melody of my heart that afternoon. I release it to you today, believing that someone out there might need the witness of these words. Now, off to spend time with extended family and to enjoy the blessings of day. Shalom! (PS: Thanks to Shirley for painting this beautiful landscape for my Christmas cards this year.)
Christmas 2010
From afar.
How tenderly that moment must have unwrapped for the Father as he sat with his Son in contemplation of what was to come. The waters were covered in darkness, teeming with possibility and promise and waiting in anticipation of the spoken word from the Word that would bring forth everything from seemingly nothing. There they hovered together, imagined and created together and thought about all of the ways that events could unfold, would unfold. And in those moments, a single moment came into focus for them. Not the Bethlehem one; the Calvary one.
From afar.
Calvary seemed a long time in coming in those pre-dawn hours before creation; perhaps thousands even millions of years removed from the artistic pulse that stirred within them. Still and yet, as it arrived on the palette of creation’s landscape, it paused their thoughts. Perhaps even pained their hearts, because they understood just exactly how much that moment would cost them both. How much it would break a mother’s heart. A disciple’s heart. A people’s heart. Their hearts. Even still, they pressed forward.
From afar.
And years later when Bethlehem dawned, the angels rejoiced. A mother cradled her gift and cherished the responsibility entrusted to her to love him beyond limits and to raise him in the fear and admonition of Almighty God. Surely there has never been a more sacred birth in history. Love was full and sweet and beautifully captured in that moment… suspended in time for all the world to witness and to remember. And as the earth applauded and all of heaven chorused its approval, a Father watched.
From afar.
But perfect joy was filled with perfect truth. And perfect truth was filled with perfect knowledge. And perfect knowledge dug deeply into the perfect contemplations of the Father, and he held something in his perfect heart that separated him from the perfect joy of the moment—the perfect pain of what was soon to come. Suddenly, that creation moment from so long ago no longer seemed so long ago. And Calvary? Well, just around the corner for the Father and his Son, and I wonder, did they cry…
from afar?
Fathers and mothers get to cry over their children; tears of joy and tears of sadness are allotted to those of us who carry our sons and daughters as extensions of our flesh. We celebrate the good news of a child’s impending arrival, chronicle it with all the joy and laughter of heaven, only to realize all too soon, that with life comes pain. Not just for us, but for our children as well. And we wonder how it will all turn out in the days yet unseen, the moments yet unlived.
From afar.
Forty-five years ago, a mother carried the promise of new life in her womb. And she, along with her husband, celebrated the gift and cherished the responsibility entrusted to them to love this baby beyond limits and to raise this baby in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Nine months later, Easter arrived, as did their daughter. And love was full and sweet and beautifully captured in that moment, suspended in time… at least for them. And a Father watched.
From afar.
But perfect joy was filled with perfect truth. And perfect truth was filled with perfect knowledge. And perfect knowledge cut through to the heart of the Father because he knew something that these parents didn’t know in those perfect first moments of her beginning. He knew what was to come… about her now, and still he let the moment press forward.
From afar.
How thankful I am that he did… that he let my life breathe into existence and allowed me my tenure upon this earth. How glad I am that he didn’t keep me from it… that he didn’t think it would be too painful for us all, too difficult a road for us to walk. That he graciously allowed me years’ worth of accumulated moments that have birthed into my now. That he didn’t stop the plan, even though he knew the plan would unfold painfully at times. That he deliberately entrusted my care to the life of my parents and then to my husband. That despite all the ways I’ve neglected his perfect truth over the years, he still made a way for me to hold onto truth.
From afar.
From a beginning moment in time when he and his Son didn’t stop the plan, even though the plan would unfold painfully for them in a season to come. For with the Father’s release of his Son to that plan… to a cross… he better enabled me to carry mine. Not nearly as heavy as his Son’s, but heavy enough to cause me to look for perfect comfort from his Son. And I have found it… full and sweet and beautifully enough to see me through this season, regardless of the terrain… regardless of how long or how short the road home to him stretches.
From afar, God watches over me, and from very close by, he walks in perfect stride with me. And Bethlehem is my portion. My advent. My moment by the manger, when I behold afresh Emmanuel… God with me. May it be so for each one of you this Christmas. As always…
Peace for the journey,
Blessings to you this Christmas! Thank you for your friendship–my friend in PA got her gift and LOVED it!
Blessings to you and your family, Elaine at this special time of year…Merry CHRISTmas!!
~Beth
This was just beautiful as I read it "from afar."
Love to you.
Melanie
Thank you – you blessed me with this post-as I struggle with our own "cross" here. I remembered that I too am on my way home, even though the road may be long and difficult and filled with uncertainty and sorrow at times. God Bless you this Christmas season.
Just beautiful, Elaine. Have a WONDERFUL Christmas. Blessings, my dear friend.
As always, beautifully written…Merry Christmas dear friend.
Believing Him~Pamela
We forget sometimes that He knows the plan, the good and the bad, the happy and the sad, and that He watches over us through it all. Thank you for the reminder. blessings, marlene
What a beautiful message here from God's mouth to your ears. I pray that your day was filled with much joy!
From Afar He hold our plan, comes in close to carry us. Merry Christmas sweet friend.
Thank you for this gift…loved it!
Oh, Elaine… 'from afar' you have blessed and ministered to me again. A precious word for so many!! Thank you. And Blessed, Merry, day after Christmas to you!
love and holy hugs.
Elaine, thanks for sharing your Christmas letter with us — it was beautiful. I love how God can plant a simple phrase in our hearts and minds and help us build a story or essay or poem out of it. What an awesome Creator God we have! We're just lucky to get to work with Him on certain things, aren't we?
Hope you've had a wonderful Christmas with your family. We had an unexpected twist to ours. Don's mom is back in the hospital, but we were still able to enjoy some wonderful time with our kids.
Enjoy the rest of the holiday week! Hugs and prayers from afar! 🙂
Wow! This is so powerful Elaine. Thank you for sharing your beautiful gifts with us! Thinking about the knowledge God has beforehand…before any pain we suffer, He knows. But as you said, (and forgive me for quoting you) "For with the Father’s release of his Son to that plan… to a cross… he better enabled me to carry mine. Not nearly as heavy as his Son’s, but heavy enough to cause me to look for perfect comfort from his Son. And I have found it"… So profound Elaine…Thank you and I thank Him for impressing this upon your heart to share!
Blessings to you as we move into another new year! Thank you so much for your kind comments on my blog! You remain in my prayers!
Lorraine xo
Beautiful words of inspiration – yes you are right. God was watching over you even before you were conceived, preparing the ground of your parents' hearts for what you are all going through these days. God was watching, and amazing but He is both far and near… we can't comprehend that…but you put it all down so beautifully.
I send you blessings of love FROM FARAWAY Philippines this season of your life… may you experience the near of God's love this Christmas and in the coming new year.
Miles may separate us physically, but I'm keeping you close to my heart…
Lidj
Beautiful!
I hope you enjoyed a blessed Christmas with family and friends.
As always Elaine, a wonderfully worded and powerful statement. Thank you so much for all you give to us, and I pray you had a truly Blessed and Peaceful Christmas!
Heard you got snow too in Fayetteville…we're loving the 2 inches we received here in Lawrenceville. Praying you're enjoying wonderful times with your family and friends!
Happy New Year!
So beautiful, sweet friend. And though you are far away, your words bring you close to my heart, just as Father God's Word does. So thankful that He is never far.
Love to you this beloved season.
So good to gather your news in both the real and the virtual. Love the pictures of the kids!
Mega hugs,
Kathleen
beautiful. I love that card painting, too!!! Merry Christmas, dear one! May your new year be overflowing with Jesus!!
I just came here and can't get past the Red Cardinal. God has given me the visual of a Red Cardinal for the past few years as a symbol of JESUS as KING! I have tons of Cardinals here at Shepherd's Walk all summer and in winter. I love to hear their chirp and their beautiful mating call. The latter reminds me of us [the Bride] being summoned by Christ [the bridegroom].
And we WAIT with great anticipation for His Return!
Love you lots, Stephanie
Love the picture of peace in your card and words. He came 'from afar' to be with us. Jesus is our peace for the journey.
Praying for you to feel good, be healthy, and full of energy in 2011! You have stuff to do girl! B
Beautiful. The card…your heart…your words. And You.
Thought of you and prayed in the night.