The Light, The Life, & The Hope Of The World: Day 12

On the 12th day of Christmas, Christ gave me… Everything.

How could I choose just one more gift Christ gave me? I have so many more I haven’t written about: the gift of Becoming, Endurance, Purpose, Forgiveness, Understanding, Perspective, Strength, Charity, Truth, Possibility, Eternal Life…

And so I end with Everything. Is that a cop-out? 😉

Shortly after I had my 6th baby we took the kids to Temple Square in Salt Lake City. It was springtime & the flowers were blooming.

We decided to tour the conference center, & our guide was a cute little old man with a hunched back. I remember being glad we didn't give him a heart attack as we tried to control our little brood who wanted to play on all the escalators, in all the fountains, jump on every couch, & climb all the statues. It was a little stressful.

Then we walked the kids up to the Christus statue where I held my baby & watched the other 5 kids gather at the Savior’s feet. They gazed up at him, calm & reverent. The words “He is real” came to my mind & I felt it in my soul.

A couple days later, my 3-year-old stopped playing with her toys for a second & asked out of the blue, "Mommy, is Jesus real?"

I was startled.

Immediately I recalled the confirming words that had come into my mind at the Christus statue. I told my little daughter: “Yes! Jesus is real! We can't see Him, but He is there, & He loves you so much!"

It was just a simple testimony from me to her. As she went on playing, I again felt it in my heart- YES! Jesus Christ, Lamb of God, King of Kings, the Author & Finisher of our faith, Savior, Advocate, the Great Jehovah, Redeemer of Israel, “the light, the life, & the hope of the world” (“The Living Christ”), IS REAL.

This last week, my fifth child unintentionally discovered certain, uh, Christmas characters are NOT real. 😬 It’s a bit sad, but honestly a relief for me when they know. Cause in a world of fake & fiction, I get to look them in the eyes & say with faith & firmness: But Jesus IS real!!

Ultimately they will have to decide for themselves what is real & not real. We all do.

I know for myself. I know what He has done for me. What He has given me.

…Everything.❤️

I choose real.