Christmas favorites: Three-in-one, songs from past posts

On Saturday I shared one of my favorite Christmas songs, Someday at Christmas. Before moving on to a few more new ones, I thought I would revisit three that I shared last Christmas. So here are links to the three blog posts from December 2010 with Christmas songs embedded:

Just for fun: Elf's Lament

The birth of the Christ: Labor of Love

A dedication and tribute to adoption: Merry Christmas

Enjoy!

Touching down in Ethiopia

I met Laura in the Atlanta airport. My niece Brooke and I were about to embark on an adventure that would change our lives - a mission to love on orphans in Africa with 28 people whom we had never met. Brooke, Laura, and two others would spend several hours together before meeting up with the rest of the team in the DC airport, so we got to know each other quickly.

Laura and her husband Tymm have a daughter whom they adopted from Ethiopia. She is a tremendous blessing to them, and it is a joy to follow her growth on their blog. They are an inspiration to me as they live out their lives in obedience to God - loving this little girl with all their heart.

Hoffman family...before

They have been preparing for over a year to add to their family, and the time for their court date in Ethiopia is here. Laura headed over there while Tymm stayed home caring for their other daughter Meron. As I write this, Laura and her friend (and mine) Tamara are probably collected their luggage from baggage claim in the Addis airport.  How exciting!

Tamara and Laura, on the last day of our 2010 trip

In less than 24 hours, Laura will get to hold her girl for the first time - I can't even imagine the joy. And they will also get to spend some time in Korah, a place that has grabbed my heart. I am so excited for them I can hardly stand it, and I'm also praying for God to use their time there.

If you would like to read more about the Hoffman story and follow the events of Laura's trip, check out their blog in this link. And if you think of it, please join me in praying for them, and for Tymm back here at home.

A Christmas dedication

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.  Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out,“Abba, Father.” (Galatians 4:4-6)

Yes, Christmas is about God sending his Son so that we can receive adoption as God's children through him.  Without Christ, we are all orphans.

So the video below is dedicated to Chip and Susan, who recently brought home a little girl from China to be theirs.  To Frank and Robin, who are doing a wonderful job raising their daughter Ella Grace, also from China. To Tymm and Laura, who are raising a daughter from Ethiopia and will soon travel back there to bring home another child.  To Corey and Sumer, who are in east Africa making sure many children (including my sponsored kids Brouk and Hagersaw) are in school for the first time this fall.  To Amanda and all my friends who are part of Visiting Orphans, bringing love to children all over the world.  And to countless others who live out God's heart, some of whom I'm sure I should be mentioning by name here.

This song is for y'all.  Merry Christmas!




Lyrics:
There's a little girl trembling on a cold December morn
Crying for momma's arms
At an orphanage just outside a little China town
There the forgotten are

But half a world away I hang the stockings by the fire
And dream about the day when I can finally call you mine

It's Christmas time again but you're not home
Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone
And so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms
And tell you from my heart I wish you Merry Christmas

As I hang the tinsel on the tree and watch the twinkling lights
I'm warmed by the fire's glow
Outside the children tumble in a wonderland of white,
Make angels in the snow

But half a world away you try your best to fight the tears
And hope that heaven's angels come to carry you here

It's Christmas time again but you're not home
Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone
And so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms
And tell you from my heart I wish you Merry Christmas

Christmas is a time to celebrate the holy child
And we celebrate his perfect gift of love
He came to earth to give his life
And prepare a place for us
So we could have a home with him above

It's Christmas time again and now you're home
Your family is here so you will never be alone
So tonight before you go to sleep, I'll hold you in my arms
And I'll tell you from my heart, and I'll you from my heart
I wish you Merry Christmas