Christmas Day at Maul-Hall was probably the most low-key December 25 we’ve ever experienced! Andrew and Alicia were in Michigan with her folks; Naomi, Craig, and the grandchildren hosted Craig’s Connecticut family; here in Wake Forest we simply welcomed my mum and dad from next door.

But what a good day!

We started slowly (having gone to bed around 1:30 am following all those Christmas Eve services!), gathering in our living room for stockings and coffee well after 9:00. Consequently, we took our time, enjoyed the moment, and savored each gift. Then I prepared brunch, and we opened the gifts from around the tree while the casserole cooked.

There may have been just the four of us, but we still poured everything into the celebration. Rebekah – as per usual – made our dining room shine with festive accents. We lit all the candles, we brought out the best china, and we honored the birth of Christ by bringing our very best to a beautiful day.

We managed to surprise mum and dad with several unexpected gifts, I was able to pull off a couple of under-the-radar serendipities for Rebekah, and then, at dinner time, my mum and I conspired to pull off a fairly authentic British day-after-Christmas-leftovers meal followed by a relaxing game of Scrabble.

SO WHAT? The “so-what?” of today’s post is that, even at its simplest – maybe especially at its simplest – Christmas is the most glorious celebration of God’s reaching in to this world, to our family, to each individual life, with transformational love and the unbounded possibilities of newness, hope, joy, and peace!

Christmas Eve we celebrated in grand style, as somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,000 people poured onto the campus of Wake Forest Presbyterian Church to pull all the stops out in praise and worship and thanksgiving and joy!

Then, Christmas Day, a small group of four of God’s children sat around the dining room table and said, “Thank you” to God for this great gift, this incomprehensible opportunity to live in truth and light.

Either way, we are caught up in another re-telling of The Greatest Story Ever Told. Or, as Rebekah put it so well on Christmas Eve, “The Greatest Story still being told.”

And still being lived. Don’t forget to live the story with all that you are – DEREK

Some joy from Maul-Hall (and Richmond, and Midland):

stockings for all…

Scout ate her stocking

Rebekah modeling her new coat

dad trying on his new sweater

my awesome casserole

mum modeling her new throw

Scout

Alicia and Andrew in Midland, Christmas Eve

Naomi and Craig in Richmond

Scrabble fun

Last light of Christmas Day

Rebekah sets a beautiful table