It’s that time again.  Christmas is often either a favorite or most dreaded time of the year. Christmas is for hot chocolate and mistletoe.  Family and loved ones.  Lights and gifts. For some people, it is a magical season full of warm memories, hopeful feelings, and fond family affairs.  For others, Christmas aims a spotlight at life’s unfulfilled wishes.  For me, it’s a little of both, but I have grown to appreciate that.  I can appreciate the sweet memories I make and still long for something more.  The older I’ve gotten, the more I realize this tension is the perfect picture of Christmas.  Instead of dreading the duality of feelings, I let them remind me of the complicated, miraculous, and life-changing truth of ‘already and not yet.’ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with […]