Fanny Crosby, one of the greatest hymn writers of all time, once said, "Live in the moment and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering."  The holiday season has arrived - somehow suddenly and without warning but also with expectations and preparations already in place.  Each year I go from stress over the season to sadness over expectations not met to joy in the blessings to exhaustion to wishing there were more opportunities to celebrate to wondering where the season has gone!  This year I'd like to take Fanny's advice and live in each moment, making each one so beautiful that it will be worth remembering.

I will make the moments of the season beautiful with decorations and gifts and friends and family.  But I will also make it beautiful by starting each day - each moment - by reflecting on the beauty of the season wrapped in swaddling clothes.  As I ponder the birth of the Christ child in this world, I will find each moment worth remembering - gazing on the beauty of the season, enjoying the love and fellowship, blessing and being blessed as I enter into His work in the lives of those we encounter along His way as He dwells in me - my Immanuel.  My life will be His Christmas hymn as I realize that each encounter, each task, each step, each moment has been ordained by Him for His purposes in my life, in the lives of others and in His kingdom, and therefore, each moment is beautiful and worth remembering. 

It is obvious to me from the many hymns of Mrs. Crosby that she understood His song in her life and made each moment beautiful by reflecting on Him.  Here is a Christmas hymn she wrote:

In a lowly manger sleeping,
Calm and still a Babe we see,
’Tis the Holy Child of promise,
Light of all the world is He.

Holy angels sing His welcome
In the realms of glory bright,
While the morning stars around Him
Fall in soft and tender light.

Blessed Savior, dear Redeemer,
King of Judah, Prince of Peace,
Rock of Ages, Star of nations,
Thy dominion ne’er shall cease.

Mrs. Crosby found beauty in the moments of reflection on Jesus as she pondered His birth in this lovely hymn.  Can you picture with her the baby in a manger, peacefully sleeping, calm and still, while inside your heart swells with hers as you realize He is the Holy Child of promise, light of the world, Saviour, Redeemer, King, Prince of Peace, Rock of Ages, Star of nations, whose rule and reign will never cease?   

Here is another quote of Mrs. Crosby that lends even greater perspective to making every moment worth remembering in this beautiful season:  "It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me."  The only beauty she saw in this life was the beauty revealed to her by God in her heart, mind, soul and spirit.  I can only imagine how He blessed her with the beauty of His presence in her every moment and what anticipation she lived with knowing that the first face she would ever see would be His in glory.  

I am praying that this season be one of His revealed beauty in my world and that I will not be distracted by anything else.  I believe it will be a season of moments worth remembering.

Entering the season,
Amy

Isaiah 28:5 In that day the LORD Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people.