One of the songs I led was the quirky hit “Joy to the World” by Three Dog Night, which became a bridge to deeper worship, connecting silly joy with reverent praise.

When the twins returned, Alice discovered Jesus under the couch, illustrating how, like in life, sometimes we need to seek God intentionally to rediscover His presence.

While scholars have written volumes about the incarnation, my grandson’s enthusiasm for the coming of Jesus brought me back to the essence of Christmas—celebrating the Savior’s birth with simple, childlike joy.

Advent calls us to reflect on God’s faithfulness, just as David reflected on God’s deliverance, and to remember that the reason we wake each day is because God sustains us.

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus and await His return, we can relate to the Israelites’ longing for deliverance and the sense of waiting that often makes our hope feel distant, yet we know Jesus will return to restore all things.

After discovering my grandchildren's playful rearranging of nativity figures, I reflected on how even small disruptions can remind us of the enduring presence of Jesus in our lives.

Though we might imagine the angels singing, the Bible tells us they were declaring God's glory and peace, a message we are called to repeat with our words and actions.

In the midst of Christmas traditions like writing letters to Santa, we are reminded that prayer is not a wish list but a deep connection with our Creator, as taught by Jesus.