Christmas Joys!

Inquiring minds want to know… what does Christmas look like in the world of Deremer Studios? As you would expect, Christmas is very much a family affair filled with many of the cultural trappings that often come with the holidays. From presents and Christmas carols, to a big breakfast and an even bigger dinner – and not to be forgotten,a gaggle of hyperactive, anxious children who completely lose all self control – all of it marks our Christmas morning. Above is another tradition we have – Bryn comes up with an idea for a home made gift for our kids which inevitably involves many, many hours of woodworking on my part. This year was not an exception. While the Angry Birds were indeed purchased, the destructo-building kit was hand built to some form of standards. As a note of caution, if you plan on making one of these play sets for your own young, know that the collapsing of the block tower alarmingly resembles the sound of something very expensive being irreparably harmed…

But, with all the fun and pageantry around Christmas, it would not be complete if I were to stop my story here. The story neither stops or begins in the Deremer home. The story of Christmas is as old as time – older in fact. Before the computer, before the car, before the printing press, before the wheel, before the human race, before the earth, before even time itself, God in his goodness and mercy set in motion a plan that would culminate 2,000 years ago in the humble birth of a king who would defeat the greatest enemy of all; death. By coming to earth, Jesus the Christ set aside all his rights as God, lived the perfect life that we never could, suffered and died in our place, and rose from the dead, conquering death for all those who put their faith in him.

It is this gift we celebrate at Christmas. It is a gift we all desperately need but could never earn. And so, as you enjoy all the wonderful blessings of Christmas, take time to ponder the words of Isaiah – written many hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth:

    Surely he has borne our griefs
       and carried our sorrows;
   yet we esteemed him stricken,
       smitten by God, and afflicted.
   But he was pierced for our transgressions;
       he was crushed for our iniquities;
   upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
       and with his wounds we are healed.
   All we like sheep have gone astray;
       we have turned—every one—to his own way;
   and the LORD has laid on him
       the iniquity of us all.
(Isaiah 53:4-6 ESV)

As always, feel free to download one or all of these HD photos – sized perfectly to use as your desktop wallpaper! Below are some of our favorite shots from the day – enjoy!