Travel Diaries #6: Christmas in a Different Way

I've never been away from home at Christmas until this year. It was hard to be away from the familiar coziness of our house and traditions, but I find it hard to complain because I'm in the Alps in Austria. We celebrated Christmas Eve this year to finally satisfy Mom's request after thirty years (and because that's what they celebrate over here). Snitzchel was cooked, potatoes were fried to perfection, wine from France was poured and it was Christmas in Austria. I missed home very much, knowing that we wouldn't be able to go to our Christmas Eve service that has always been the same. For the fifteen years I've been at Bethany, there has been the same service which concludes with a room full of people lit solely by candles held in their hands and singing Silent Night together. And I have missed it.

But I didn't miss it entirely. We drove to the local church in Ramsau and sat in one of the 300 year old pews. The entire service was in German, but it was still beautiful to see the town gathered together on Christmas. To top it all off, we ended the service singing Silent Night in German, surrounded by a bunch of old, traditional Austrians. We left through the cemetery, each ancient grave marked with a Christmas wreath and a glowing red advent candle. What rich traditions this culture has and what an experience it has been learning about them.

Then, of course, there were less beautiful things that happened. Like eating at McDonald's for Christmas dinner in Salzburg. And saying good-bye to Noah for four months. But it's all these experiences that add something to life.

As I sat in a cathedral in Salzburg on the 25th for Vesper's, I lit a candle. I prayed for peace in the uncertainty of life. Jesus was born in completely uncertain times: through messages from angels about a virgin birth. He was born in a stable in the cold and life was far from easy. How phenomenal that such strange circumstances made way for the reign of Christ that would continue for 2000 years. Truly this Christmas has been a huge reminder of the reality of Christ's birth and the hope that we have in Him.

Merry Christmas!