It was a rainy, December day 30 years ago. A cold hung in the air that chilled you to the bones. I was even wishing the temperature would drop a few more degrees so at least it would snow. My wife and I were standing in a line at a volunteer fire department building with our two year old daughter, Beth. It was going to be her first time meeting Santa and my wife had brought her camera along to catch the moment.

When Santa finally appeared with his bag of gifts most of the other younger children backed away in fear at this strange man with a big white beard and red suit. My daughter didn’t, however. She wasn’t scared at all. I think it was because one of her grandpas had a beard even bushier than Santa’s. Instead she literally jumped up and down with joy in a little circle almost coming out of her snow boots in the process. Seeing her happiness Santa approached her first. “Ho Ho Ho! What do you want for Christmas little girl,” he asked. Beth didn’t say anything. She just reached up and gave Santa the biggest hug in the world. My wife laughed and I smiled seeing this beautiful moment of Christmas love. And all of the sudden that cold, damp firehouse seemed warm and bright. Or perhaps it was just all of us being filled with the spirit of Christmas by watching my little girl share her love and delight.

These days my little girl is 32 but I still enjoy every warm, loving, hug she gives me and I still carry that Christmas moment in my heart and mind to warm me any time this world seems too cold or bleak. It keeps my soul on the big picture. It keeps my heart on Love.

Margot Silk Forrest wrote, “The big picture is nothing more than a million moments all strung together.”

May all of your moments then be full of the spirit of Christmas. May all of your moments be full of Love. And may God live through you in them all.