⭐️
“Have yourself a merry little Christmas.
Let your heart be light.”

I’m feeling the loss each day.
Christmastime presses on me.
Pushes at me from every side.
It’s not bad, really. Just present.
Sometimes I cry. Much of the time I don’t.
Mostly I just feel.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” -John 3:16

What if I didn’t know this was true?
I have believed it for a long time but now I know it differently. 
Because of death, my life is different.
I understand this scripture differently.
I believe it differently. I feel it differently.

I know where Jason is.
I know who he is with.
I believe that our Savior met him and that they knew each other.
I believe that our Savior embraced him.
They probably smiled together. They probably wept together.
The Savior probably put his hands on Jason’s shoulders, as his brother and friend, looked at him deeply and said, “You did it.”

Our Savior was born on this earth to save us.
He lived as we want to live.
He served as we want to serve.
He taught as we want to teach.
He loved as we want to love.

God gave us the gift of His Son, so we can become like Him.
Love like Him.
Live like Him. Forever.

Because the Savior died, He lives.
And Jason will live again, too.

What if I didn’t know this was true?
Christmas is a time of feeling.
A time of tears mingled with joy.
A time of celebration and family and giving.
A time of service.
A time of love.
A time of hope.
A time of light.

Thank you to the city of West Point for the beautiful tradition of placing a luminaria at each grave.
We helped this year.
Jason’s was the first candle we lit.
I am grateful that I understand why the Savior was born.
So that you, me...and Jason, will have everlasting life.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas.
Let your heart be light.
💙✊🏻⭐️