Christmas Comes Alive: Celebrating With a Child

The Christmas season is upon us, and this year feels entirely new—we are celebrating with a child in our home.

One of the greatest blessings has experiencing her delight in Christmas traditions, especially our Advent calendars (the Lindor Christmas calendar is a favorite!). My mom gifted her a Lego nativity Advent, and she enjoys putting one Lego piece together everyday.

We’ve also been reading several Advent devotionals together, and I’m finding myself deeply impacted as I reflect on Christ’s birth and the heart of God. One of the most astonishing aspects of the Christmas story is that angels announced the birth of Christ to lowly shepherds. I can’t fathom how glorious that moment must have been. It had to be so awe-inspiring that the angels immediately told the shepherds not to fear.

How countercultural it was for God to announce His Son’s birth to shepherds. The Bible Project’s Advent devotional points out that Jesus being born in a dirty manger and visited by nameless shepherds beautifully reflects the nature of God’s Kingdom. As it says, “He is showing how God’s Kingdom was first revealed in these dirty places, among the poor, because Jesus is here to bring salvation by turning our world order upside-down.”

Another meaningful Christmas tradition was attending a cantata at First United Methodist Church, where our friend sings in the choir. Yes, the choir includes a Tulsa Opera singer and an award-winning contemporary Christian artist, but the most powerful element was the presence of God. Throughout the night, people were worshipping along with the choir. During a moving rendition of “This Is My King,” I felt as though we were in heaven, surrounded by a chorus of angels. Tears streamed down my face as His glory filled the church.

Last Saturday, we attended a Christmas Experience for foster families at a local church. As we drove through the expansive parking lot, bubbles floated through the air like falling snow, and children gleefully tossed felt “snowballs” back and forth. Volunteers periodically stopped us to hand out stocking stuffers for our child and groceries for our family. (Ironically, I had planned to pick up marinara for dinner that evening—but didn’t need to, because they provided two family-sized jars!)

There were easily over a hundred volunteers, all dedicated to treating foster families like VIPs. They served a hot breakfast and offered a variety of fun stations, including a petting zoo, inflatables, cookie decorating, manicures, photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and face painting. Characters like the Grinch and Disney princesses wandered around greeting the kids.

Our child spent most of the time at the petting zoo, delighting in holding and petting a variety of farm animals. I couldn’t help but laugh, because having grown up on a farm, I tend to view animals as work. Over the years, our farm housed steers, sheep, chickens, geese, alpacas, mini horses and donkeys, pigs, horses, boarded goats—you name it. I usually only petted the horses and sheep because I loathed the smells and dirt of the barn and the fields.

I’ve been incredibly touched by how many churches and organizations come alongside foster families. Their support means so much—to us as foster parents and especially to the children.

If you’ve ever supported foster families or served as a foster parent, thank you. And if you were once a foster child, I pray you know just how deeply loved you are by God. As someone who was adopted and has no memory of my biological parents, I have experienced firsthand how tenderly God loves and cares for us. Though many of us have endured rejection or trauma, God ultimately ushers us into His family.

This Christmas has truly been a bounty of blessings.