December 20, 2021

Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountain, your justice like the great deep, You, Lord, preserve both people and animals. How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.         Psalm 36:5-7

When I was very young, I, along with my parents and (then) three sisters lived in my grandparents' spacious home high above the LaHave River near Bridgewater, NS.  During those early years my father was in the Canadian Navy, and he would be away from home for months at a time, so it was very helpful to my mother to have some extra help from our grandparents and aunts and uncle.

At that young age, we could have easily mistaken our grandparents for Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus, as they resembled them quite remarkably. They delighted in their grandchildren, their eyes twinkled, and their faces radiated love when they were with us. Our Grandpa loved to bring us treats when he came home from work, and our Nana was a wonderful cook and baker and knew what we would enjoy the most. They had time and patience; Grandpa would swing with us on the bench swing outdoors, and Nana would sit outside with us while we played, or we would go for walks, and they would take us with them on Sunday drives.

When I was about eight years old, our family moved to Yarmouth, and we were no longer able to spend as much time with our grandparents, but we always looked forward to summer vacations when we could go and enjoy time with them, playing and exploring to our hearts content on their extensive property, and swimming in the river – it was a child's paradise.

Each year after we moved away, a large parcel would arrive from our grandmother at Christmas time, generating much excitement; it contained beautifully wrapped gifts for each of us (eventually there were eight siblings) and large red and green striped candy canes which were a marvel to behold!  

When I think back to those early years, and of the unconditional love shown to us by our grandparents, it helps me understand how much God dotes on us, his children. In 1 John 3:1 we read, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” God sent us a beautiful gift, wrapped in swaddling clothes, in the form of a baby, his son Jesus, and He invites us to receive Him with humble hearts, to experience His love in all its fullness, and as His beloved children, to share His love and grace with others.

Prayer:   God, as we marvel at your great gift to us, fill our hearts with gratitude, and let our lives be a reflection of your love to those around us. Amen

Sharon Baxter is a retired library tech and pastor's wife. She is married to Ron, mother of two sons and a daughter, and grandmother of eight precious grandchildren. She enjoys her family, reading, hiking, exploring coastlines and back roads, and helping keep the shores of Scott's Bay clean.