Christmas Brokenness

     Saturday I sang and Frank gave the eulogy at a funeral.  It was for someone's mother.  She had lived here once upon a time, but for the past 15 years had resided in an Alzheimer's Unit near her daughter.  A handful of people - around 25- were in attendance.  Having lost my own mom in 2012 my heart broke for this daughter as she dealt with the loss of her mother.  Frank and I talked later when I told him that losing a parent to Alzheimer's is like losing them twice.  First you lose their mind...and then you lose the body.  I sat in my car and watched the funeral procession pull out in front of me and then followed them to the cemetery.  That family will never be the same again.  That family finds themselves broken at Christmas.
     I thought of the two police officers who were gunned down this week and my heart shattered. A senseless killing of two men doing their job.  They both had families and now there are broken lives dealing with the Christmas holidays.
    This is the first year without Kash.  She was one of the McCarley twins born at 22 weeks gestation.  We had her funeral last year right after Christmas.  Christmas was difficult last year because we all knew it was just a matter of time.  The family was fractured and broken.  I have been amazed at the strength they have exhibited throughout the year, especially with all that has happened.  Keaton's stroke, the break in at their house....but still they keep on keeping on.  Christmas Eve we will all gather and celebrate Christmas.  Broken or not this family is loved by so many and that is what Christmas is all about....LOVE.
     Our nation is broken, there are many lives and families who are broken, When the gifts have been open and the toys have been played with there will even be broken toys and ornaments.  Christmas is tough for me.  There have been many years when I have lost special people in my life and in Frank's life.   In many cases just saying Merry Christmas to someone is hard .....but we have to remember that Christmas inspite of everything going on around us is all about a young baby....born in a manger....to a broken world...to save us.  So with all the brokenness I will leave you with a line from Charles Dicken's story, A Christmas Carol.  My favorite line in the whole story is at the end when Tiny Tim says, "God Bless Us....Everyone!"