“Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” Matthew 18:20 (NIV)

            We often hear the song “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” this time of year. However, what defines home differs from family to family. With six military transfers, a dozen residences, four deployments, two hurricanes, and family in two different states, both home and Christmas varied from year to year.

Every move we spent our first night in the living room together, sharing pizza, then settling down for stories and prayers amidst piles of blankets and pillows. When the moving trucks arrived, we’d establish our new home with our things, but until then, home consisted of being with each other. The same became true of Christmas, whether in Pennsylvania, Texas, Japan, Guam, California, or Mississippi.

            Living in so many places, the joy of Christmas meant being together rather than returning to a specific address. It meant sharing our love for each other. It meant finding peace when we weren’t in the same place as the previous year and when we couldn’t even be together.

            Jesus left His heavenly home for Bethlehem, Egypt, Nazareth, Capernaum, Gethsemane, and Golgotha. He had no place to lay His head, yet for the joy set before Him, for the love of the ones He came to save, He gives peace that passes understanding, wherever we might celebrate His birth.

Jesus, thank You for every Christmas spent together and the hope for more to come.

         Grace & Peace