I didn’t make it to the mall this year.  I wasn’t able to shop for even one gift.  I didn’t bake one Christmas goodie, or Christmas Eve dinner, or even Christmas dinner.  We didn’t go look at lights.  And we never did hang up the stockings.  And there were many days this month  I never made it out of my jammies.

But there were moments of joy, and we relished those with much greater fervor.  We have loved ones around us, and we are more grateful than we have ever been.  And I can honestly say that Christmas has taken on new and more profound meaning for me this year.

Immanuel, like we sing in the Christmas songs, literally means “God is with us.” On the first Christmas night over 2000  years ago, God came to dwell with us.  He left Heaven, to come dwell with us, knowing we would reject Him, and eventually kill Him.  And yet He came.  He came for me, He came for Grant, He came for us all.

And because of Immanuel, Grant rejoices in Heaven this Christmas Eve.  Because of Immanuel I too will rejoice in Heaven, with Grant, for an eternity’s worth of Christmases.  And because of Immanuel I can find the joy in Christmas even in the midst of my grief.

Merry Christmas Grant. You are more missed than I can put into word.