In many European countries, they have a holiday to follow up Christmas. In Denmark it's called Anden Juledag, or Other Christmas Day. Since my work gave me the day off to celebrate the holiday, today was our 2nd Christmas Day.
And how did we spend our holiday? We spent it with family. We spent time with my wife's side of the family in the morning (and into the afternoon...) and the evening was dedicated to my side of the family. The first party included great food, good times, and an exchange of presents.
The second party included great food, good times, and lots of blond-headed kids running around.
For the first 26 years of my life there was only "my side" of the family. I couldn't believe how lucky I was to be brought into such an amazing family.
How amazing? Consider this...tonight my uncle looked at a painting my brother has hanging in his living room. He said that the representation of Christ was okay, but the sheep he was holding didn't exist at the time of Christ. He knows this because he was part of a team that developed that particular breed of sheep (he's got a doctorate in such things...).
And so I got married and my family instantly grew another "side." In the past two decades my wife and I have juggled both sides. There's been some times when obligations for both sides came in conflict, but nothing too serious. I hope my wife and I feel comfortable in the company of each other's side.
A child asks the old man if he knows what Heaven is like. The old man says he has an idea of what it might be like. "What's it like?" asks the child.
The old man says, "You know how on Christmas Day and you're with your family, you lose track of time...like you don't know what time it is and before you know it, the day is over?"
"Yes," the child says. "I love Christmas, but how is that like Heaven?"
"It's simple," said the old man. "When you're with people you love, time doesn't exist at all. To me, that's Heaven."
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