what vomit under the Christmas tree teaches me about the Glorious Incarnation

It’s been a long couple months at the Dodds’ house.

From German yellow jackets nesting between our ceiling and floor to washers and water heaters on the fritz to being rear ended at a stop sign to the stomach flu taking us out one by one over the course of a month and a half.   I feel like we’ve been through the ringer.

And Tuesday, the 21st, as I’m thinking of the million and one things I still have to do before Christmas arrives, our son walks into my bathroom with a face as white as snow with the sad tale of having not made it to the bowl.  Hence the vomit under the Christmas tree.  Poor guy.

So, I commence clean up, unwrapping presents covered with the unspeakable stuff and start to wonder what this is all about anyway.  I start going over all the things we’re supposed to do that we may not now be able to do this Christmas.  And, thanks be to God, I remember Jesus.

Jesus, who came to earth in the only way any of us do.  In a mess.  Maybe Mary vomited during his birth.  Who knows.  But I don’t have to wonder whether it was messy or not.  I’ve given birth enough times to know about that.

Perhaps Jesus was a little 4 year old who didn’t make it to the bowl, and spoiled his family’s plans for the day.  He certainly wouldn’t have been sinning if that were the case.  He would have simply been human.

And yet, for having entered humanity, He never lessened His glory.  His glory wasn’t compromised by a messy birth or intestinal disruption.  Somehow, the fact that He came in flesh and bore with our weaknesses increases His glory.  We see more of who He is because of it.

Yesterday I read on Desiring God a quote from Martin Lloyd Jones,

Jesus Christ has not been changed into a man; it is the eternal Person who has come in the flesh. That is the right way to put it.

It’s refreshing for me to remember that Jesus is a Person.  The Person.  The Perfect Adam.  The Glorious Incarnation in a vomit-filled world.

God, in His infinite grace to His daughter, teaches me more about Christmas through vomit under the Christmas tree than by having everything fall into place the way I had planned.

So that’s what I’m thinking about this Christmas.  The presents will be wrapped in clean paper.  The kids will get better.  The car will be fixed.  All things will one day be made right.  But the biggest thing has already been made right.  God the Man has come to Earth to save people from their sins.

Bought.  Paid for.  Loved.  Forgiven.  Free.  That’s who I am this Christmas.

All because of a messy birth 2,000 years ago.

my 2 cents

Here’s my 2 cents.

Rejecting an extension of Bush’s tax rates-  Lame.  We should all pay our taxes.  But let that be the end of it.  I’m tired of hearing people upset because someone else isn’t paying more.  Face forward students.  Eyes on your own paper.  Let’s quit caring about what someone else is or isn’t getting or paying.

Wikileaks- “I do not think that means what you think it means.”  What a bummer.  But, I actually felt comforted to know that Hillary was spying on other countries.  Bummer the info got out, but hey, good to know she’s in the know.

Childhood Obesity- Here is legislation to curb childhood obesity.  Is obesity good?  No.  But neither is an inordinate emphasis on “healthy” eating.  In my experience, I run into as many people obsessed with “health” as I do obese people.  What’s the difference?  One’s healthy (for now) and one’s (probably) not, but both can’t get their minds off of food.  And one is definitely more self-congratulatory than the other.

The TSA and Santa- Wow.  I mean really, wow.  I don’t plan on flying anytime soon.

Metrodome Roof Collapse- Now I want to see the footage of Ziggy Wilf up there cutting holes in the fabric during the snow storm.  With Favre’s scandals, Childress’s poor coaching, Percy’s migraines, and overall lousy performances, this is the best news he’s had all season.   Finally a chance at a new stadium!