Merry Christmas

Advent is coming to a close, and the Christmas season is upon us. I'm pretty stoked about this year because most of my siblings if not all of them will be in Jerseyville for Christmas. In my lifetime I can only remember this happening once before, and it was because my Grandfather was having a surgery he was not expected to survive. It would be awesome to have everyone together for a happy occasion. Of course, if memory serves me right, last time all the sibs were home we undertook a construction project of replacing the waterline that leads into my parent's house. It was interesting and dirty. This time around I don't think there will be any construction projects to start.

We are still not sure if all of the siblings will make it, though. My brother Sean may not be able to make it. I hope he does because it has been a long time since last I saw him. He was always my favorite brother growing up. He was the one that sent me my first tape as a present, Bon Jovi, New Jersey. Although I'm not a huge fan of Bon Jovi today, it was definitely my favorite album for a long time. Sean was the one who I was always really excited about coming home. I remember once he made it home when I was in first grade and was hit by a car. He made it home and played GI Joes with me in the hospital. It was just what I needed during that time. Our relationship has never been strong, but now I realize that neither of us make the effort to connect with the other.

I'm hoping that in just two days I will see him and we can reconnect and build a new adult relationship. Really that is what Christmas is about. God became flesh to reconnect with humanity, establishing a new relationship with us. God wanted to know us more intimately, and we needed this intimacy with God. This is what Christmas is about, Charlie Brown. It is about establishing, re-establishing, and strengthening relationships with each other and with God. It is about knowing people more intimately and growing to know each other more completely! It is about becoming incarnate, in the flesh, letting people in on the good and bad of life. It is about being real with each other so that we can all truly grow in honest and real relationships that are meaningful for all.

This Christmas, I hope you can connect, reconnect, and strengthen your relationships with those around you, and with God, who became human and experienced the best and worst of what that means out of love for you. Can you become human for those around you, or are you going to show a front of perfection this Christmas season?

Peace,
mark