Finished up 5 hours at church: two services with a meal for choir members and our families between the two. The midnight service was beautiful. I grew up in the Lutheran church, with its beautiful liturgy and tradition, but often services these days lean toward more contemporary style to please new members who didn't grow up in the Lutheran tradition and, honestly, it feels very watered down and not as meaningful. But tonight's midnight service was completely traditionally Lutheran with full chanted liturgy, traditional hymnody, full communion and candlelight. It was beautiful and moving and brought me nearly to tears. This is what Christmas is about for me.

Now I need to head to bed, probably to be back up in about 5 hours.

Merry Christmas all! God with us; God for us; God in us.