Thanksgiving hasn’t even come and gone, but I’m already thinking ahead to December because, for the first time in the nineteen blessed years I’ve lived on this earth, I won’t be home for Christmas. Now, this isn’t to say I’ve always been “home” in the sense of a place/house for Christmas. “Home” for me is people—my family. My mom, my dad, and my two younger brothers. This is due to my being an Army brat. The longest I’ve resided in a singular house is four years. But this year I won’t even be with my family for Christmas. The reason for this being I’m taking a two week serving trip overseas (to Africa) during half of my Christmas break. And I will be in a country in Africa for Christmas day. I will be very far away from my blood family. And they will be very far away from me.

This, in a way, makes me a bit sad. I won’t get to decorate with them, or bake treats with them, or open presents with them, or tell the Christmas story of Jesus’ birth with them. I won’t get to attend a Christmas Eve service with them, or blast holiday tunes to annoy them, or make sure all of our traditions stay in tact with them. I won’t get to do these things with them. I won’t get to be with them. (fortunately I’ll get to be with them for a week after my trip before I have to return to school—I’m looking forward to that precious time!)

However, even though I won’t be physically with them, they know I wish I could be there. They know I’m thinking of them and that I love each of them dearly and that I will savor the time I do get to spend with them. They know that Christmas isn’t all about being together as a family, but being together as part of the body of Christ. Because Christ came for us we are related in a way even stronger than blood. We are related through Jesus Christ, our Savior and this means that any number of miles or hours can separate us physically, but we are celebrating together (in our different locations) the True Reason for the season.

This means we still tell and remember the same Story. This means we can pray for each other. This means we can thank God for each other. This means we know that no matter what happens in this life, we will see each other again in Heaven when we are united fully and made right with God. That will be a Christmas to surpass all others.

So even though I won’t be home for Christmas, I know the reason is Christ Jesus and I can rest in knowing that my family carries the Hope of Him around in them.