Last Thursday, he called me. “Hey, Brother Rob. I’m coming to spend a week with you.” Carla and I had a long talk about that. Surely his grandmother wasn’t going to bring him on the week of Christmas? She dropped him off at my house on Tuesday, while Carla and I were Christmas shopping. Emily was home. She gave Emily $50 and told her that was for Cody’s Christmas.

Cody has been to my dad’s house for Christmas Eve dinner. The whole family met him. He loved my niece and her husband. He nearly “noogied” all the hair off Josh’s, my nephew’s, head. The family hasn’t seen that much energy around the supper table in a long time.

We visited my mom’s after dinner. Cody played checkers with mom and boxed with Franklin, my step-dad. I had to step in on that one, too. It was a mismatch. Mom gave Cody a present to open on Christmas day. She’s got a stocking for him.

Then we went to Carla’s folks to spend the night. He played on the computer with my niece, Audrey, and played dominoes with my mother-in-law and I. He ate his weight in doritoes and pretzels and drank all the Pepsi I would let him.

He settled down about nine to watch “It’s a Wonderful Life”. It’s all about friends and family and the difference they make in the lives of those who love them. Jimmy Stewart’s character helped his friends and family with their struggles and, in the end, they came to his rescue when he was in the midst of a struggle of his own. I watched it with Cody.

Jesus came to give us a chance to become part of His family. He came to give us the opportunity to become his friends. He loved us while we were still enemies. Christ offers all humanity the chance to come and celebrate around His Father’s table. He came to rescue us when noone else could.

My friend is asleep in the other room. We’ve still got some celebrating to do. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. Remember to keep it well.