Sweet manifestations of God's immeasurable goodness.

I never would have dreamed that this year's Christmas season could be so "other" from last year's.

Funny that the hardest year should be followed by the sweetest.

I watched the Nativity movie a couple of weeks ago and met my Savior again as I watched. One of the wisemen in the film is depicted as a skeptic who travels the whole way nay-saying and mocking and disbelieving, then sees the three stars align in the sky according to the prophecy. They follow the new brightness to the place where Mary lay holding this Son of God that they'd read about in the old scrolls. Seeing the babe, realizing he was so very wrong and that this IS the newborn King, the wiseman bows before him with the most trembling of all the worshippers.

This is our God. Wow.

I am becoming part of a second church family and coming to love so many new brothers and sisters. Every other week I go with Derek and on the opposite he comes to my family after his first service (there is a man named John who is autistic that D takes care of Sunday mornings).

I am so enjoying this season of our relationship - of being past nervousness and self-consciousness and just enjoying who each other is. I love seeing Jesus in him - to know who he was just five years ago and then watch the man I see today... I'm blown away by the grace of God. And I wish you could meet him. :)

First and foremost, he loves the Lord with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength. More today than yesterday, more tomorrow than today... He loves people and relates so well. The Lord has given him a remarkable sensitivity to where people are and how they're feeling, and he uses it to meet them right there and minister to their heart. I don't know how else to word it. It has been a joy watching him meet my families:

Here, joking around with Wendy, bringing out Marge's playfulness [and checking on her as she went through treatment for her foot], singing with Hannah and drawing out her beauty... With my brother, seeing past the edge and putting him at ease, relating to his isolation and inviting him out [he wasn't interested in many invitations, but he DOES want to go sledding with us :) ] , Derek just is who he is - he's real and honest... my brother respects that. I am excited to see how God will use him with Heath.

My mom loves him, but she hasn't verbally shared why beyond saying that he's nice and "so cute."

He hasn't met my dad and Barb, yet. But we will because - this is funny - his friend Tyler invited us to go line dancing with him a month ago or so. We haven't been able to, yet. But come to find out, Tyler (who is from Mass) line dances in NH at the same place as my dad and Barb. So when D and I go with him, Dad and Barb will go with us, too!

I was so thankful - Karissa was able to spend an evening with him when she came to visit. The three of us had dinner at my mom's with her and Rich. Tenderness. That is what she noticed most. "He's just so tender with you." That night, tenderness was what I needed. It was exhausting for me, and Karissa and D gave me so much strength.

Anyway, he is quality and so much fun. A story-teller and entertainer. He's a magnet for kids and can't wait to be a dad - and he'll be an awesome one, relying on grace. His heart overflows, and you can't help joining him in the song. AND.... he loves to dance. That just makes me smile.

Yesterday, driving home from church, he asked me for Wayne and Pastor's phone numbers. I left them on his voicemail when I got home, and when I saw both at the Christmas Cantata in the evening, they said they'd received calls and had dates set up to meet him. That is his leadership and initiative.

I guess the man who is my brother and was an acquaintance and became a friend may soon become more than a friend. Gladly, it is in God's perfect timing, which I am learning to wait joyfully in... to be like a child at advent who truly enjoys opening the window every day and savoring what is there... building up to Christmas Day, but not rushing past all the days in between.

God is so good. Here is just another manifestation of it. A very sweet manifestation. I can only say Thank You. He is another of so many undeserved gifts from my beautiful Father. Wow.