Thoughts of Christmas from a young father

The other night, as my bride, Heather, was out finishing some Xmas shopping, I had both our girls at home with me. Though getting an almost 2 year-old and a 3 month-old fed, cleaned, and put to bed can (haha is) a challenge to do alone, it's also a great chance to bond with my daughters. As I sat in the dark giving our youngest, Story, her bottle, I kept thinking of Joseph as he held his son on that first Christmas. What were his thoughts? Maybe he had the usual new father questions. "Can we afford this?" "Are we ready?" "How is this going to change things?" Maybe he was already getting excited thinking about teaching Jesus to run, play football, and how to treat a lady. But there's the thought... "my son is going to save us all."

Joseph knew that his son was to do amazing things. Then I looked at Story. My daughter is going to do amazing things. Both of them. They're going to bring joy. They're going to be a shoulder for a friend to cry on. They're going to one day have children of their own and think the same thoughts Heather and I think everytime we hold them.

Then I picture Joseph, holding his new son close and thinking "he will do great things, but for now, I want to simply enjoy him being my son." I think that many times when I hold London and Story. It's easy to get carried away thinking about the future, which isn't always bad. But sometimes I need to just hold them close and simply enjoy that they are my children.

As we go through life, especially in college, we are always focusing on what's ahead. Jobs, spouses, roommates, summer vacations. What's God doing now? Who is in your life right now? Take a look at what God has placed in your life right now and enjoy it, because time moves fast.