Christmas heart

This morning I received this lovely picture from my son, Andy, who is stationed in Alaska. His family is getting involved in a variety of winter activities, including ice fishing, ice skating, skiing and photography. They are not overly religious, and yet their picture captures the “heart” of the season.

They moved to Alaska last July, and through the Fall, they had been feeling isolated and disconnected as a family. Sara and the 3 girls had a hard time relating to their environment, while Andy embraced the green wilderness after spending 18 months in the deserts of Iraq.

When the snow started in November, instead of freezing their hearts, it warmed them-Love was reborn!

It’s a Christmas story for today. A simple heart shape ornament, centralised on the tree, symbolises how we should have Love at the “heart” of our Christmas. Jesus. Love, brings communication, generosity of spirit, forgiveness, laughter and togetherness into our lives-when we open our hearts to be Jesus’ manger at Christmas time.