My Christmas Just Became a Little Merrier

This year is the first year that I get to celebrate Christmas with my newly found birth mom. Well, we're not actually celebrating together, but we can certainly celebrate across the miles with one another. Last week we received a bunch of Christmas cards from Pam and Pierre, which I know for a fact were chosen with love and care.

Reading through each one still brings tears to my eyes, and I treasure the sentiments expressed on each card. To my beautiful daughter, my daughter and son-in-law, my grandson, my granddaughter... and to my sister, nephew, niece. What an awesome event in our lives that we could both send and receive hand picked cards like this at Christmas. While finding appropriate cards was not easy (I challenge you to find one that says "To my lovely Island Mom whom I just met after 45 years!") I was able to find some that didn't highlight a history of growing up and of fond memories, but rather an appreciation for having them in our lives. And that is the sincere truth. My Christmas just became a little merrier because of my beautiful Bermudian family.

Peace and Joy

The advent season is upon us. At this time of the year, in addition to the Santas and snowmen, we'll see the words hope, love, joy and peace on a variety of items from Christmas cards to festive ornaments. These are some of my most inspirational words, and I have them hanging up on my living room wall all year long.

The other night, while speaking with my birth mom, those words came alive for me. It really struck me how my intent was simply to bring peace to her life in knowing that I was okay and that I was thankful for what she did for me. Never did I expect there to be such joy in the reunion, for the both of us! It's really quite a miracle that the simple hope I had in connecting with her has blossomed into a living relationship. It's truly a relationship of love. Both of our lives have been altered as we now journey together, sharing past experiences and making new ones. We look forward to what the future holds with great joy, hope and anticipation.

While I believe that eternal joy and peace come only from relationship with our Saviour Jesus Christ, whom we celebrate especially at this time of year, I am so very thankful that He in His goodness and grace allows us to experience a beautiful measure of those four advent emotions with others here on earth. May you also experience that same hope, love, joy and peace with God and with others as you welcome the Christmas season.