Enjoy this Christmas devotion, Show Up at the Manger.
My son Zack is special.
He’s special for all sorts of reasons, but one reason is because he has unbridled enthusiasm. He loves life and he loves it to the hilt.
When Zack was very young he suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury, which is also part of what makes him special and also part of my story today. Zack struggles with emotional regulation, as many people with TBI do.
Let’s just say that on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being pretty boring and 10 being the best thing ever, most things for Zack rank right up there as a 9 or a 10. This sounds pretty great, but have you ever tried living with someone who thinks everything is a 9 or a 10? Let me tell you, it’s not quite as great as it sounds. If getting a new sticker is a 9, imagine what going to a birthday party ranks as for a 4 year old. It sends him spinning right off into the stratosphere!
A few years ago, I had the privilege of taking Zack to the Make a Wish Christmas store. Because Zack as a metabolic condition that is life-threatening, he was granted his wish to go on a trip to Disneyworld. As part of that, he also got to go to the Christmas store which includes a free trip to see Santa and to choose a gift for himself and one for each member of his family. Now remember, this is a child who thinks everything is so, so exciting.
Can you imagine what a trip to a Christmas store involves? This is beyond exciting! As we were waiting our turn in line, all he could talk about was telling “ho ho” and he wanted a “choo choo” for Christmas. He was getting more and more excited and I was getting more and more nervous that we were headed for a total melt-down right in the middle of all the excitement.
Our turn arrived and Zack excitedly grabbed his bag and took the hand of the couple who were assigned to be his volunteers.
I went to wait at the exit doors with the other Wish parents. We exchanged nervous and knowing glances. We are parents who “get” each other. We don’t leave our kids with others very often, and when we do it’s usually people with lots of letters behind their names and it’s usually not for very happy reasons. I saw kids coming out in wheelchairs and kids who were bald. Kids who were obviously getting healthy and kids who were obviously not.
Then I saw Zack burst excitedly through the doors with his volunteers with arms loaded down with wrapped gifts. They said he was having so much fun and couldn’t choose just one gift so they let him get extra! He smiled so perfectly for Santa and got the perfect picture.
The volunteers couldn’t believe how happy Zack was. I wiped away tears as they helped me gather my packages and say goodbye. I prepared our things to leave when they came back over with their phones and cameras and asked if they could take pictures of Zack. They said his joy and excitement had just made their whole Christmas.
Would it be okay if they took his picture so they could remember him? Then I really couldn’t stop the tears from flowing! Of course it was okay. They were giving me the gift in that moment.
What the world sees as a weakness, even I as a parent sometimes see as a weakness, God as showing me – He will use as a strength for Zack. God has His plans and His reasons to take what I see as a problem or a situation that is a struggle, to use for His good and His glory.
Friend, show up at the manger, just like the shepherds did that day.
This Christmas, maybe you hope to leave your problems at home. Maybe you hope to leave behind your dysfunctional family situations, your losses, your pet sins, your job situations, your relationship issues, your worries, your grief.
I’m here to tell you — you bring it with you. We all do. But that’s okay.
God wants you to bring it all. God wants all of you and He has plans for all of it – your good and your bad, your whole and your broken, your messed up and your fixed. He can and will use all of it.
This Christmas season, show up at the manger and give it to Him.
{Video Christmas Devotion} Show Up at the Manger
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Awesome, awesome story 🥲 Thank you for sharing. Many blessings to you and your sweet family!
Hi,
What a touching story! Isn’t it wonderful how every peron is special and has unique talents all of their own. We all learn so much from each other, including receiving and giving so much love and
joy!!!! Enjoy the holidays with your family!
Pat
Sara, you don’t know how much I needed to read this today! Our granddaughter is getting married right after Christmas. Her parents are divorced and the tensions concerning this wedding are running high (like ZAck’s 11) high! “Maybe you hope to your problems at home. Maybe you hope to leave behing your dysfunctional family situations, your losses, your pet sins, yout job situations, your relationship issues, your worries, your grief.” This is EXACTLY how I feel. P.S. please excuse the typo errors
Thanks for sharing. I’m so glad God used this to bless you.
Sara OMG your story made me smile and cry
You are right about saying God has a plan for everything!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful story
I wish you and your family a healthy happy holiday season
💚❤️🙏🏼
Thank you for sharing your beautiful story about Zach. God does make us aware of the hidden gifts He has slipped into our lives. Hope you and your family have a Blessed Christmas.
Loved your story!! Blessing to you and your sweet son!
Tears of joy flowing right now. Thank you for being honest. It’s hard raising exuberant boys. It’s hard accepting that all is not normal. But He didn’t come to bring normal. He came to give us grace. And hope. Thank you for this today.