christmas (by the bay)

The Golden Gate is glowing
On this cool December night
And the cities highest towers shine
Like presents wrapped in light

Where the stores are decorated

And a chill is in the air

We'll be holding hands together

A time to celebrate

In the San Francisco way

It's Christmas by the bay

I'm with you in my favorite place

On my favorite holiday

[words by tim hockenberry's christmas by the bay]

i'm fearlessly known to start listening to instrumental Christmas on the first of october.

lyrical Christmas is added on the 25th of october.

decorations are pulled out with excitement on the weekend after thanksgiving.

our city celebrates brilliantly with lights on storefronts, skyscrapers and in apartment windows. festivities happen nightly in december with cultural focuses. Hanukkah is observed by many of our friends in mid-december. 

we celebrate in small ways at night with carols, cookies, movies, crafts, and cards. i'm all wrapped up in the celebrated season for many reasons. 

i love the way ben has instilled generosity into the value of our family and it explodes at Christmas. our boys have given to our Hope Project at Epic separate from us. we have adopted a family to bless this season.  

i love the daily and constant reminder that our God chose to come in human form as a baby to rescue us. the reminders come through the nativity scene on our shelf. the songs we sing. the cross ornament on our tree. the gifts we share with others. 

we told our boys today, "you can never give more than God for He gave His only Son to us and continues to give to us abundantly."

"no, but we can try!" was one of their comments.

and that's why we are here in the city by the bay - to give as much as we can to as many as we can because He's given so much to us.

merry Christmas