Tuesday With Teri

This is the fouth week of Advent. Each week, leading up to Christmas, we pause in remembrance of the birth of our Savior. In some households, a candle will be lit in recognition of each of the Advent themes.   This week we consider LOVE and the birth of Jesus Christ.

It’s a gorgeous, red and black Christmas plaid, sweater coat and it is CRAZY SOFT! I may have squealed in delight the first time I touched the fuzzy fabric when I opened this gift from my friend. It hangs past my waist and easily wraps around me like a big bear hug. I think the best description for it would be COZY.

The obvious “coziness” of the sweater coat has led to a few kind encounters, and a few awkward ones as well. I appreciated the compliments I received about it throughout the day. “Wow, that looks warm.”, “I love your sweater!”, “Where did you find that, it looks cozy?”, “That looks really comfortable.”, “What a pretty coat.”, were just a few of the comments my sweater coat inspired. A bit awkward, but still kind, were the encounters I had with a couple of sales ladies who wanted to “pet” my arm and talk about the softness of the fabric.

I sent a text to my friend, the giver of the gift, and shared with her the compliments I had been receiving. Her reply was, “That’s great. I definitely saw you wearing it during the holidays.”

As I sit to collect my thoughts for this advent post about LOVE, the sweater coat is resting on the back of my chair. I find myself quieted by God’s sweet whisper of His message for me today.

Today, as I ran errands and finished my shopping, I was wrapped in a gift from a dear friend. The beauty of the gift was obvious to those who saw it. What was not obvious, was what was below the gift. Under the gift, my attire this day was wrinkled, possibly stained (I tend to spill at every meal), and generally not my most flattering top. The people I saw today did not see any of that…they saw Cozy, they saw WARMTH, they saw COMFORTABLE, they saw the GIFT.

Lord, this season, and all year long, may we be ever mindful of your LOVE for us. You sent your son, Jesus Christ, to this fallen world, to give us a hope for forgiveness.  You cover us with Your grace, wrap us in mercy and overwhelm us with the gift of Your LOVE. In all that we do, wherever we are, may others see that GIFT in us.  I pray you “definitely see me wearing it during the holidays.”

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send His son into the world to judge the world; but that the world would be saved through Him.” John 3:16-17