4:13 Podcast: Jennifer and KC Do Christmas [Episode 382]

Jennifer Rothschild: Can you sing it again, John Robert, you & Pops?

Grandson John Robert: Okay.

Pops and John Robert: (Singing) Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh. Hey.

Grandson John Robert: You want to do another one?

Pops: Yeah.

Children's Toy: Merry Christmas. (Santa Claus' Voice) Ho, ho, ho.

Grandson John Robert: Ready for a long song?

Pops: Yeah.

Pops and John Robert: (Singing) Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh. Hey.

Jennifer Rothschild: Welcome to a very merry episode of the 4:13 Podcast. I'm Jennifer, and I'm here to help you be and do more than you feel capable of, because you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength.

KC Wright: And I'm KC, festive, caffeinated, and currently wearing a Christmas sweater that has its own ZIP code. Okay? I look like a Christmas tree that exploded. Or maybe Santa himself threw up on me. Okay?

Jennifer Rothschild: Yeah, I gotta say, he's not lying, our people. KC, you definitely look festive. You sound festive with the bells on.

KC Wright: Right.

Jennifer Rothschild: You're like Buddy the Elf had a brother who lives in Branson. Okay? I'm just going to say.

KC Wright: Exactly. You can't out-jingle me. Okay?

But anyway, this episode is all about the wonder of Christmas and the glory of Christmas, and, let's be honest, the mess of Christmas.

Jennifer Rothschild: Yeah.

KC Wright: Because it's not all Hallmark movies and matching pajamas.

Jennifer Rothschild: No, it's not. You're right. There is so much joy, of course, this time of year, but also there can be a lot of real life. You know, you've experienced it already, our friends, long lines. You might even be in the middle of it, family tension, travel delays. Or if you're me, burnt cookies.

KC Wright: Yeah. And glitter in places glitter should never be. Okay?

Jennifer Rothschild: Okay, KC, we're not going to go there. Anyway --

KC Wright: No.

Jennifer Rothschild: But today, as we're celebrating Christmas with you, we are definitely going to laugh a little, and we're going to share a few stories, and most importantly, we're going to remind you of something very powerful, that Jesus showed up right in the middle of the mess of Christmas.

KC Wright: Thank you, Lord.

Okay. So let's start with the wonder, the glory, and the majesty of Christmas. Okay? Jennifer, do you care to share, right out of the gate here, what's your favorite Christmas --

Jennifer Rothschild: Oh, my gosh.

KC Wright: -- memory growing up?

Jennifer Rothschild: This is hard for me. Growing up? Okay, growing up.

KC Wright: Growing up, yeah.

Jennifer Rothschild: Okay. I know this is a weird one, but there was one Christmas -- I was probably eight years old. We had been in Costa Rica, and we had just gotten back to the States. And so it was that Christmas, and I got a sleeping bag for Christmas.

And I remember laying in the sleeping bag on Christmas morning after I opened it, and I was playing with Barbies, and I had all my little Barbie dolls and Dawn dolls, because I got those also, and they were all, like, in this tunnel of my sleeping bag, and I just thought it was the funnest thing ever.

And then my mom had said, you know, "Don't eat everything in your Christmas stocking," because there was a lot of candy. Well, I put all my candy for my Christmas stocking in my sleeping bag with Dawn and Barbie doll, and I would eat them. And I ate so much. And my last one that I ate was a Three Musketeers bar. And I ate so much candy that I literally got sick and threw up in my sleeping bag on Christmas morning.

Anyway -- so there you go. That was my -- I don't know why that was just a -- it's a funny memory. But, see, I know it's silly, but there was wonder there when you're eight years old. It was just the biggest deal of my life to have this cool new sleeping bag, and all my dolls were in it with me, plus I was sneaking all the candy.

Okay, KC, though, do you have one?

KC Wright: Oh, my goodness.

Jennifer Rothschild: Yours is going to be sweeter, I know, because you're just more sentimental than me.

KC Wright: I mean, there's just so many. I just -- I remember -- I remember being a little boy and I needed money, Christmas money, to buy my mom something for Christmas. And I prayed and a rich uncle mailed me money. It supernaturally came. I remember that Christmas.

Jennifer Rothschild: Oh, KC, I knew yours would be better. I'm vomiting in a sleeping bag and you're praying for money that Jesus sends you in the mail. This is awesome. Keep going.

KC Wright: But I remember Elly's first Christmas, you know.

Jennifer Rothschild: Oh. Now, that is the sweetest, when we have our own babies.

KC Wright: When we have our own babies.

Jennifer Rothschild: Oh, you're right.

KC Wright: So many sweet -- sweet, sweet memories. But I will look for it every year. And I can't explain it, but you know what I'm talking about. There will be something that will happen every Christmas that when I see it, it's the magic of Christmas.

Jennifer Rothschild: Yeah. It is magical, isn't it?

KC Wright: It is. I used to emcee a Christmas play, a production, at Bass Pro -- I did it for ten years -- and my job was the job of the storyteller, the narrator of the story, and seeing Christmas in the eyes of a child --

Jennifer Rothschild: Oh, yeah.

KC Wright: -- when the Gospel is preached and given. And you're like, there it is. There's Christmas, right?

Jennifer Rothschild: Yeah, yeah.

KC Wright: It's not about what's under the tree, it's about who's next to you under the tree, right? Family.

Jennifer Rothschild: Yes.

KC Wright: Christmas is found in the eyes of children really.

Jennifer Rothschild: It really is. You're right. That is the magic. There is such wonder. And we should celebrate the wonder. But, I mean, let's be honest. You might be right now, you know, in the middle of festivities, or cooking or cleaning or unwrapping or wrapping, whatever it is you're doing today, because we know we're right here in the midst of the holiday. But we've got to get honest. Because sometimes, you know, Christmas just isn't easy. There is a mess, and, you know, I think that's okay. We've got to roll with it.

Like, I remember one time, KC, there was thunder snow when we were trying to leave for Florida, and we were stuck here with no electricity. And, yes, it was our family, and I was still grateful, but I missed seeing my grandmother and, you know, just things that would have been so precious, because she did not live to the next Christmas.

So there are times too -- and you might be in the middle of it -- when all the family tension shows up around the Christmas table. So let's just be honest that it's okay that sometimes there is a mess. But here's the thing. Life is like that. Like, sometimes it's just the wonder, like KC was describing, and then the next minute it's chaos. Okay? But the beautiful news is this, that God's presence is not limited to perfect moments, right? Instead, he meets us in the messy ones too.

KC Wright: Yes. And maybe this Christmas isn't what you expected. Maybe this year it is quieter. Maybe you're missing someone. Or maybe it's just plain hard. That's why -- Emmanuel means God with us, and that means he's with you right now. J.R. and I have both lost our dads. Well, we say lost. We know exactly where they're at.

Jennifer Rothschild: Well, they just relocated.

KC Wright: And my dad's been gone for decades now. But every time I pull out that box of airplane Christmas ornaments -- because my dad loved to fly, and he and his brother, Jerry, the Wright brothers -- true story --

Jennifer Rothschild: That is true.

KC Wright: -- were building a plane before he passed. They were building a little kit Fox two-seater RV-6. Okay, I won't go down that road. Anyway, so I would get my dad an airplane ornament every year for Christmas. And when I hang those -- when I come to that box with those ornaments and you're hanging them, it's just wow. But then you remind yourself, no, Dad's spending Christmas with Jesus this year --

Jennifer Rothschild: Oh, gosh.

KC Wright: -- and that's, wow, way better than anything. He's more alive than we are on this planet.

Jennifer Rothschild: You know, KC, I'm glad you said that, because that reminds us of the reality when we're feeling the ache of loneliness, when we're stuck in the middle of the mess, it's a reminder that there really is in Christ no loss.

KC Wright: Yes.

Jennifer Rothschild: He redeems everything. In fact, we're going to end this little audio conversation with Christmas with a song by a beautiful woman named Layne Victoria. And I'm just saying, she is going to sing the beauty and the hope of Christmas over you.

But, you know, also, I was reading Luke 2, which we've all read this season a lot. You know, it's the story we've all heard so many times. But this year, I'm just going to say, KC, there was one line that I heard slightly differently this year about Mary. You know, when the Scripture says that she gave birth to her firstborn son and laid him in a manger -- and here's the part -- because there was no room for them in the inn.

Okay, we've heard that a million times. But that small, simple line that there was no room for him in the inn, it carries so much power. No room. You know why it's so powerful to me? Because it just shows that God still made a way. And the reality is that's what he will do for us too.

KC Wright: Amen. He always does. And that's what Christmas reminds us. No matter how messy, God still shows up. Come on, somebody.

Jennifer Rothschild: Okay. So whether your house is peaceful or noisy, full of lonely, or whether it's clean or covered with wrapping paper, oh, just remember that the miracle is not in the perfection, it is in his presence.

KC Wright: I love that. You can have the magic of Christmas without missing the miracle. And listen, even if your lights don't match or your cookies are burnt -- oh, man, have I got stories about that -- remember, Jesus still came for you. Emmanuel, God with us. God with you right now.

Jennifer Rothschild: He sure did.

KC Wright: Right now.

Jennifer Rothschild: Yeah, he sure did. And so from our hearts to yours, we wish you Merry Christmas.

Layne Victoria: (Singing) King of all Kings, lying in a manger, sustainer of all things, matchless in power. This babe wrapped in glory is the radiance of God, born among the lowly, creation stands in awe. Behold Emmanuel, the Lord Emmanuel. His kingdom shall not end, and all will bow before him, the Savior of all men, let every heart adore him. Behold Emmanuel, the Lord Emmanuel.

Long lay the earth in sin and error pining, till the incarnate Word into the dark comes shining. O, fall on your knees and hear the angel voices, for the mighty Prince of Peace, all the world rejoices. Behold Emmanuel, the Lord Emmanuel. His kingdom shall not end, and all will bow before him, the Savior of all men, let every heart adore him. Behold Emmanuel, the Lord Emmanuel.

We have a hope, his name, Christ the Son of Man, the King on his throne, oh, praise the eternal Great I Am. We have a hope, his name, Christ the Son of Man, the triumphant song of saints, Hallelujah to the Lamb. Hail the Lamb of God, hail the Lamb of God, hail the Lamb of God, hail the Lamb of God.

Behold Emmanuel, the Lord Emmanuel. His kingdom shall not end and all will bow before him. The Savior of all men, let every heart adore him. Behold Emmanuel, the Lord Emmanuel. Behold Emmanuel, the Lord Emmanuel. Behold Emmanuel, the Lord Emmanuel.