o come let us adore Him.

The Anticipation Overwhelms.  {--Spotify link.}

another LINK for your LIKING. {--my Twitter link.}

   If you ended up listening to the song that is withheld in those links you heard mainly instrumentals.
The only lyrics being one that most likely you already knew was coming being, ''O Come, let us adore Him."

O come... let us... adore Him...

   In this beginning of December, in the beginning of Jason Gray's album ''Christmas Stories: Repeat the Sounding Joy", this song builds anticipation for all to be beheld in the coming of this season. It comes fadingly and disappears sharply--the season and the song.

   Something about this anticipation makes you want to stop it all. Stop it before you forget. Before you forget what Christmas-time looks like and feels like. When too many words get in the way. When life tries, when disciples are cutting off ears, it is hard to tell them, "Let. me. adore. Him." It is hard to say no to those you want to impress or please. It is hard to tell those who are willing to help yes. The beat quickens and you wonder if they are wanting you to dance... or if they want your own beat to be swallowed whole by theirs. Well, girlfriend... Well, guyfriend... strive to please God and not men. This whole Christmas will leave you drained if you don't allow the cut from that disciple to heal. If you don't allow God to perfect that beat of yours; conspiring it + you into what He wants it to be, your life will be drained. If you allow life to become something that overtakes you instead of inspires you from time to time... Christmas will not be for you. Christmas will be a Christ-Miss. How I beg that that will not be your story.

In a world of Scrooge's and Peter's, that may be all you see.
But, you see, there are little girls learning about Jesus.
There are two year old boys wanting to see Jesus and in turn praying to Him.
There are Ben's singing Christmas carols. {from the Andy Griffith Show's Christmas Story episode}
There are children being born.
There are women child-less giving their desires to the Lord.
There are friendships growing.
There are singles living with loneliness, but clinging to the hope of Christ.
There are friends laughing and children giggling.
There is a God that hears our prayers... and He is my very Best Friend.
There is hope. A hope that surprises. A hope that came down... and took the whole world by surprise.
A hope that nurtures us and gives us confidence to fulfill our ministry. There are Hope's Nests everywhere you look... if you would even try.

There are watercolors in life completely painted with tears and colorful blessings.

There is an anticipation more than what a little child goes to bed with on Christmas Eve having dreamed of Santa. Something greater than Santa is here. On this very night why don't we anticipate being ABLE to give? Why are we stressing about Christmas plans and family get togethers when we have the opportunity to even have one? What if Christians stopped complaining about everyone else taking Christ out of Christmas and start putting Him back into theirs too? What if they had compassion on people that said, ''Happy Holidays" because hope is what is needed for them + that is right up ''Merry Christmas' '' alley. What if Christians worst fear this December would be a Christ-Miss? Christ isn't missing, but WE are the ones that choose to be absent whether intentionally or fadingly so. What if we allowed ourselves to become children again? What if we let ourselves see Christ's birth in a new way? If we had never heard a Christmas song... had never read the Bible... had never seen a nativity set... and first opened our pages to THIS STORY that created all of this abundant life and the eternal life that awaits... what would we see? Would we see the heart of Mary? Would we see a man of mercy? Would we see the innkeeper's restlessness; his generosity? Would we see no one but Jesus only? Would we treasure these things and ponder them in our hearts?

You say, ''Who cares about that!?" You might say, ''Don't add any untruthfulness to Scripture!" or ''Why imagine when you have everything you need to know?''
Is it untruthful if pondering these things draws us closer into relationship with the King that came as a baby to this poor, broken world? Is it untruthful to put us into the innkeepers place? Is it untruthful if I put myself in Mary's shoes? Did Mary not wonder what this Emmanuel child would be like? Did she not dream about when his little feet would pitter-patter by her side when in the womb his feet she would feel?

Is it untruthful if we anticipate heaven? Is it untruthful if we imagine it while knowing that we are not coming close to a fraction of it's Light? Is it untruthful and wrong of me to dream of my future husband doing this, being that, or coming to me when even if none of those specific events come about? Is all this untruthful if it brings us closer to the God that made our hearts? To the God that knew Mary's first shames, Joseph's doubts, the innkeeper's stress, and the angel's praises? To the God that knows every thought before it comes to be? To the God that knows my every emotion, hormone, and hair on my head? {I have thick hair and a LOT of it. I call it a mop. I like it every once in awhile, but I mostly just want it to lay flat and 'calm down'. He must really love me! :)}

What does this look like now? When Christmas is over? When 2013 begins? When tomorrow morning comes?

Here is a beat that He gave me today when He reminded me of a desire in me that still loves to make up little songs that my Bestie and I were going to sing on stage someday:

What does this look like for us here? For us now?
 

 We shall watch, we shall walk, and we shall wait...
 

For He will act with unending grace; unending grace.

For He will find a way. The Way. Emmanuel will find a Way for the one He loves.

We have all seen it before. Christmas is no stranger. Old Faithful may not be a stranger to us either, but when you go do you pass it by condemning it for doing the same thing over and over again? Or do you have a thankful spirit that it reminds you? That it will 'touch' you differently than before?

Christmas is no stranger. When it passes do we condemn it for having the same story, same songs, same lame story? Or do we have a thankfl spirit for the remembrance of our lives because of God's Son coming as a babe in a crowded barn? Do you love it for passing through your heart and touching you, growing you in a way it didn't formerly through the Holy Spirit?

Let anticipation dwell in you. When the Lord sees you His heart flutters like a groom looking at his pure bride. Why, then, do we despise the thought of submitting to His joy?

O come let me adore Him, disciples. Let's savor this season. Let's not rush through the mystery of His Will. I don't like what my life looks like right now persay, but God has placed me in the middle of this crazy, nerve-wracking, butterfly stomach life. The watercolor He is painting with my tears and His colorful blessings given to me is worth more than I can see. What am I to do in all of this uncertainty? I shall watch for Him; watching for servitude possibilities. I shall walk humbly with Him + walk while encouraging and loving others with my whole heart along the way. I shall wait...

For He will act with unending grace.

I got treasure up in heaven; I got dirt all over me,
Emilee