christmas

this weekend was a remarkable reminder of the healing work God has done in my life in the last two years. to spend the whole of christmas day with my family and drive home at peace (in spite of some difficult moments) was amazing. it's awesome the way God gives us glimpses into ourselves to see that He really is doing a good work, and we really are becoming (even if ever so slowly and slightly) more like Him. to go through the holiday and not spend the next week with that overwhelmingly achey sense of sadness at the family I don't have is a wonderful new thing for me. it's beautiful the way the Father has always comforted me, but even more beautiful to be healed enough to laugh with Him about the awkward things and to be light of heart.

the thing that stood out the most to me this year is the 'family' of friends in which He's placed me. spending christmas eve with my friends was most definitely the highlight of the holiday. we had a huge dinner, hung out the whole evening and exchanged gifts. none of us come from functional families, so for us it was our 'real' christmas.

my friend rachael gave me one of the best christmas gifts i've ever received...pajamas. growing up my friends always got new jammies for christmas, but I never did. i always just got hand-me-down pj's from my older sisters. it always secretly disappointed me and was just one of those 'silly' things i hadn't thought much about in years and always downplayed to myself. they're just your basic flannel pj's, but rachael knew i'd never had new christmas jammies. funny how something so small can show so much love.