We're still celebrating apparently...

While she might say to you, "Christmas is over," she's quick to remind you that in her mind, it isn't. "Baby Jesus was born!" in a loud, truly authentic, happy voice, exclaims the little girl. Songs of Jingle Bells and Away in the Manger are as frequent in the home as the ABC's and The B-i-b-l-e. She'll tell you that Santa will come again next year, while she's sleeping, of course, but doesn't know why the Christmas tree suddenly disappeared while she was asleep one evening. She thinks that wearing her "Santa" jammies and Christmas dresses are still an everyday thing and fights with Mommy about not taking them off. She believes that Memaw and Papaw are coming to visit any day, to celebrate with her again (and celebrate they will, though I doubt it will be for Christmas.) She'll tell you that her presents are still presents...none seem to have lost their "wow" factor, yet. She delights her mother with the desire to listen to Christmas music still, and her mother just hasn't quite removed those Christmas cd's from the minivan, just yet. As I thought about her desire to continue celebrating, a self-revelation hit....shouldn't we all be celebrating still?

Oh sure, the Christmas decorations have to come down at some point, the tree starts to wither, your house might become the "odd" one that still has lights up that no longer glow (for fear you'll be ridiculed by your kind neighbors), but maybe the little one is onto something. "Baby Jesus was born!" exclaims her proud voice yet again. And we talk about the Jesse tree and how she put straw in his manger each day to get his bed ready for him. And she asks tenderly about Him, and His birthday, and how long we have to wait to celebrate it again. And she usually goes right into a loud round of "Happy Birthday to you, Baby Jesus" after we talk. And I think to myself, maybe I've forgotten how to truly "celebrate" the most miraculous birth of all. It wasn't the most grand of entrances, and I often wonder what Mary thought of two-year-old, but sinless, Jesus. But yet, have I stopped to celebrate Him as I should? Oh, celebrating His birth is easy during the Christmas season...there are reminders everywhere. But once they come down, do I forget about the greatness that was born because our "holiday" is over? Maybe, just maybe, my holiday shouldn't be over quite so soon. And then I thought, wait, Easter is coming! But the calendar says late April will bring about a time of mourning and rejoicing for a Savior that was put to death only to rise again (Hallelujah!). So, I think this year, I'm going to continue celebrating the wonder that is Jesus' birth, and focus more on what His birth (and subsequent life) means to this sinful creature, and maybe join in a round or two of "Happy Birthday Baby Jesus" with my darling two-year-old whose excitement isn't lost on her mother.