As my bride sleeps, I find myself reflecting on what a special Christmas this is going to be! We have a scheduled Skype call to Michael in South Korea and we will try to visit with Jenny’s and Daniel’s families and all the grands via Skype later. Son Peter, who like his mother is an excellent chef, is bringing us a home cooked Christmas dinner.

True, we are still in the hospital and I am still connected to an IV pole. True, there are a number of uncertainties about what the future holds. True, it will be our first Christmas in 45 years, counting our courtship, where we do not have a Christmas tree, or any decorations, or Christmas lights. True, there are no wrapped gifts this year. In fact, the only gift we have to give each other IS each other, with a love that does not die.

Wouldn’t it be a grand time if it were just that? But there is SO much more. Far beyond all the traditional wrappings of Christmas, there is the real meaning of Christmas. The creator of the heavens and earth so loved us that He sent His own Son Jesus to rescue us.

He came to pay a debt He didn’t owe, because we owed a debt we couldn’t pay.

His free gift is simply wrapped in love, and available to all who receive it. As we anticipate a most unusual and very special Christmas in the hospital, we pray that your Christmas will be filled with the wonder of Jesus.