Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Our First Chuck Town Christmas


This year, we, The Hudsons, will celebrate our first Chuck Town Christmas.  The Christmas season is absolutely our favorite time of year, and like Cousin Eddy from Christmas Vacation, as a family, we lick every drip of Christmas eggnog from the moose-head cup.  Consequently, like other Christmas-walnuts, we came up with a super, awesome family tradition.  It is the Hudson’s 25 Days of Christmas.  Starting December 1st, each day leading up to Christmas, our family participates in a Christmas activity.  Activity is a broad term, so allow me to share with you a few examples.  We always purchase a fresh-cut tree, make popcorn garland, decorate ginger bread houses or bake sugar cookies, place lights on the house, stake down the blow-up Santa, read the Christmas story from the Bible as we assemble the Nativity scene, and of course watch Christmas Vacation and Christmas with the Kranks a billion times!  That’s not 25 days, but you get the general idea.  For fun, the activity is always documented with a photo and shared on Facebook each night.  I’m not sure why, but friends and family seem to enjoy our crazy family. 

The most special night is the Candlelight Christmas Eve service at the church.  Everyone enjoys juggling molten hot wax candles, as they sing Silent Night, but my favorite part is coming together as a church family and remembering the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ through the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper.  This special time together reminds me that, “Mercy triumphs over judgement!  James 2:13. 
Because of the original sin of Adam and the deserved curse of death, every man and woman inherited the sinful nature and death penalty.  But, because of His great mercy, while we were sinners, Christ died for our sins.  God’s great mercy triumphed over His just judgement.  When God entered flesh, through the Christ Child, Emanuel, He ultimately chose mercy over what we deserve, judgement.  I am so thankful that God chose mercy!  As you rush through this Christmas season, allow this grand view of His great mercy to cause you to celebrate.  Mercy triumphs over judgement!  Have I told you that I love you today?  I love you, and I pray that this is your best Christmas season ever.       

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