The Wonder of the Season

Christmas has pretty much always been my favorite time of the year.  But this year is especially great.  Faith is so full of wonder and excitement about Christmas, or "Christmas tree" as she calls it. (Christmas is always followed by the word tree)

Growing up in India, she was aware of Christmas.  They even had Santa come and give gifts to the children at the orphanage.  However, as I'm sure you can imagine, she has never experienced anything like Christmas in America.  All the lights, the decorations, the music, the decadence of the whole holiday season are completely new to her.  She is so wide-eyed and full of anticipation.  I'm sure the pile of gifts for her under the tree don't hurt that any. 

Most of all, I love that we get to share the real meaning and joy of Christmas with her for the first time.  We get to share with her that Christmas is the celebration of Jesus birth, the day God sent his only son into this world as a tiny baby to save us all from ourselves.  The reason we all celebrate and give gifts to our loved ones this time of the year is because we remember that on the very first Christmas, God gave us the most precious gift of all.  Not because we were on His list of good boys and girls, but because He loves us even though we often choose naughty over nice.

Does Faith understand all of this?  Not really.  She's very captured by Santa Claus, Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman and candy, candy, candy.  But she is listening and taking it all in.  She does understand that we're celebrating Jesus Birthday.  I hope that someday she will come to understand the true meaning of Christmas, and celebrate out of joy for the birth of our savior. 

N. Korean Refugee Adoption Act

I don't usually copy posts from other blogs, but this video merits being passed along.  I had no idea this bill even existed, but I think it is a very important one.

I often think about the children of North Korea, since my own daughter was born less than an hour from the border.  I sometimes wonder what her life would have been like had she been born there instead of in Seoul.  Would she even have survived her first 24 hours? 

There is hope for some orphan children who have fled N. Korea.  They are currently living as refugees in other nations.  Although they are free, they struggle to survive, and they live in fear of being sent back.  There is a bill in congress that would make it possible for these children to be adopted by American citizens.  Please watch the following video and take action if you feel moved to do so, and pass it on.