'Tis the Season!

Christmas time is here! Who doesn't love it!? Are Christmas carols often to be heard here in the Zinn household? You betcha! Is our tree up and are it's lights agleam every moment we're awake- yes! Have I drunken way more hot chocolate in the past two weeks than in the rest of the year combined? Indeed I have! But although these things and many more kindle happiness in our hearts, the true joy of Christmas is in the awaiting of our amazing Savior, Jesus. There's a joy in the waiting, the expecting. It has been so fun this year, somehow it gets more fun and joyful every year, finding ways to point ourselves and others to Jesus. We have been enjoying thinking through new traditions this year. We have starting singing at least one Christ-centered Christmas carol (or hymn) each night. We have Christmas verses up. I made a cross to put at the top of our tree. I love each day looking through the Scriptures for verses that are Christmas verses but maybe not usually thought of as such.... for example, today's verse: "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word." Hebrews 1:1-3a

Last Christmas was really sweet being pregnant and thinking of Mary being pregnant with baby Jesus. Thinking of how amazing it was that he would humble himself and become the size of a "whatever that fruit or veggie was" of the week. This year I look at Finn and try to imagine Jesus-- rolling, smiling, crying. And yet still, he, unlike our sweet little Finn, is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being!? Unfathomable. Praise Him!

I have been enjoying this year thinking of ways that Finn and I can bless the people in our lives. Just seeing him makes so many people happy! I like to put him in his hopper seat on the counter in our kitchen and bake so that we can still see each other and spend time together, I think of it as "baking together." He's my best helper. So I've been thinking of who we can bake for... thinking that maybe at Christmas parties this year we can remind people that Jesus was a baby so little like Finn... I would love to hear other's thoughts on how to point to Christ this Christmas season! Loved reading about the Piper's Christmas traditions. Love his poems! Here, I'll post one next time for your reading pleasure. 

And, finally, the scoop on Finn! He is doing so great. The past week and a half or so he slept the majority of the nights straight through! What a blessing! He can't sleep with his arms out of the swaddle yet. But now he gets frustrated with them in the swaddle too! But as he's sleeping, in the night, his little hand will wiggle it's way up the middle and he'll find his little thumb. Suck, suck, suck he goes right through the night!