Home For Christmas

So....where are you going for Christmas? Staying here and having your family come to see you? Going to your parents house? Will you see your brothers, sisters, parents, kids, aunts and uncles?

I hope you get a chance to relationally connect with those folks. This year,the Hibbard family will be driving all night to Dallas (yes, the one in Texas, not NC.) to enjoy Christmas morning at Kelly's parents house. We will be en route along with Santa....only difference is that he will be flying in the sled and we will be driving the interstate. Our kids love spending time with grandparents during the holidays. I love being there because we get free and endless childcare, great cooking and tons of free-time to do whatever we want!

Thinking of all the good times we are expecting to have, made my heart ache for the families of our men and women soldiers who were on the radio this morning wishing their families a "Merry Christmas!" Young moms and dads away from their families on Christmas. Husbands are separated from their wives. One soldier said his daughter was 4 years old this year and he knew that this was the year she would really look forward to Christmas and he would not be there to watch her open her gifts.

On and on each brave soldier said they would miss being home for Christmas and being with their families. I felt sad for them and their families. However, I also whispered a little prayer for them and thought about how blessed we are to have such willing, brave and dedicated men and women serving our country. They fight, protect and die so that you and I can live in relative peace from outside aggressive forces that would love to see us lose our freedoms and lifestyle that we so richly enjoy.

Today, would you join me in offering up a prayer for those who choose to be away from their families so that you and I can enjoy ours? If you know a family that has a loved-one away in the military this year....be sure to tell them "thanks!"

John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends!"