Our family spent the morning in Washington, D.C. Next month it will host 4 million people, but today it was as quiet as I've ever seen it. We had the National Archives Building pretty much to ourselves.

Our daughter is doing a history project, so we got shots of her in front of the White House, Capitol, and Supreme Court before going to see the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and Constitution. After that we headed to the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History to check out the beautiful new oceanography exhibit. Her grandfather, who works for NOAA, was the brainchild behind an exhibit on oceanography and weather forecasting. He came with us, so we got the inside story, which was fun.

The city shows signs of preparation for a huge celebration--bleachers already line the sides of some streets. We're preparing for the oath of office by the one elected to the most powerful office on earth.

The buildings in this city are always a marvel. Beautiful, majestic, historic. And today I'm struck by the contrast with a much different important city--the City of David, the birthplace of the Most High. He was born in a stable, placed in a trough where animals slobber, surrounded by flies. Heralded by angels going to shepherds instead of senators.

Immanuel--God with us. Merry Christmas!