It is past noon on December 25 and for the first time in my entire life it feels like any other day. I am in a vacant house and I believe this is my 18th or 19th Christmas on this planet. My usually boisterous siblings are no where to be found and my parents are out and about…strange.

Strange.

That is all I can define this as. I am one Italian of many and a quiet Christmas has never ever happened. I do not know whether to be disgusted, amused, or just confused. Part of me likes this disconnection that I am experiencing.

I wish one of those gifts under the tree were for me, but the more and more I think about it this has made it the absolute easiest way to put my focus on others and on Christ.

This is a broken Christmas as my parents will certainly refer to it. In my life, though, it has always been so much easier to see my Savior through the brokenness. His birth was by far no extravagant entrance…. He was brought into a broken world and that is where He remained.

When my parents have the opportunity, maybe even next year, they will attempt to “make up” for this Christmas. I think in years to come though, I will look back and call this my least broken Christmas. I know that when I see brokenness I see Christ.

When I see Christ…everything is whole.

Strange.

Strange is the statement I just made… but it grows truer and truer.

A Christmas First…A focus kept on Christ.

Much Love…BGTF