Well, it’s November 25th.  One month until Christmas day.  But not one month until Christmas.  Christmas is now.  I’ve written this before,  but I feel I need to give us a gentle reminder to start enjoying the season.  This beautiful season of peace, joy and hope. I was thinking of the people that literally do not celebrate Christmas.  For them it is not about Jesus’ birth.  They don’t believe that happened.  How sad that they miss out on all the blessings, love, hope and assurance  that Jesus wants to give us.  He’s running after us with these things.  He’s in hot pursuit. And so… since Christmas is one of the Christian holidays that is pregnant with meaning (see what I did there) for those of us that believe,  we should be the best at celebrating it.
There are also a lot of people celebrating Christmas that don’t actually know what it means.  They think it’s the gifts and the food and the clothes and the parties and the trips and the stress….and the loneliness. And so they get all caught up in finding the perfect gift for someone or everyone.  They stress over food and entertaining.  They spend money they don’t have to impress people they don’t know or at least, don’t really care about. Some go on trips to get away from it all..all the hoopla.  Bah Humbug.
Why did God send his only son, Jesus, into this dark and scary world?  Because we needed Him.  And they shall call His name Emmanuel….which means ‘God with us’.  God knew we needed Him to be with us.  He knew we needed a tangible presence.  As a Christ follower,  I can feel His presence.  And I humbly admit, I need it.  I need Him.  I read something on Instagram that asked the question, ‘Can you go to Heaven without the Holy Spirit?” and the response was “Bro, you can’t go to Walmart without the Holy Spirit”.  Funny cause it’s true.  Many people DO go to Walmart without the Holy Spirit and it shows.
I know Christmas is difficult for many people that are alone or in poverty or sick or dying.  But it’s up to us to make Christmas better for them.  Who else is going to do it? And remind them that Christmas is just the starting point of all this “God with Us”.  It’s not the end. And they can have everything Jesus is offering and that’s the best gift of all.
Often we give money to the Salvation Army or go fill shoe boxes an Samaritan’s purse or serve food on Christmas Day at a soup kitchen.  Some people actually adopt a needy family and make Christmas so special for them.  And these are all amazing things to do. I love the quote by Charles Dickens “I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year”.  Now that’s what I am talking about.
I’ve given myself over to contemplating Advent. Advent actually means hoping and waiting for something that’s coming. And I don’t think it has anything to do with Amazon. Even though, that’s where I get most of my Christmas shopping done.  I digress.  What are we, in this present age, hoping for?  I’m hoping and waiting for Christ’s return.  On that first Christmas they were waiting for him to come for the first time.  And He came as was promised by the prophets of old.  But this time…..He’s coming back and so I feel very connected to the season of Advent.  I feel it’s so relevant, even now. And that’s the joy and hope that fill my heart and make it leap for joy in this Christmas season.
Not that I don’t love the lights, and the decor and the real Christmas tree and getting together with family and friends.  I DO love the glitz and the glamour.  And the feel good Christmas movies.  The snow softly falling. The cinnamon and hot chocolate.  The baking.  The delectable food. The nostalgia.  The games and the puzzles.  The skating and the skiing.  And Jesus DID say occupy until I come so I’m just doing what He told me.  I am living my best life while I wait for His return. and SO….you will find me sitting by the fireplace reading a book or watching a Hallmark movie and sipping hot chocolate or eggnog.  You may see me at a Christmas party or two having the time of my life.  (It doesn’t take much these days…lol).  I will be at church singing all the carols and also singing in my car with the music turned up full blast. I will go on a tour of the lights.  I think the lights are my favorite thing.  As I drive by large evergreens all lit up for Christmas and laden with snow,  I whisper an unheard thank you to whomever did those.  And also to the homes that really put in an effort to light up Christmas…thank you. I get giddy just driving by. I’ve been known to wrap every single little trinket or gift in a large separate box just so I can wrap things and deck them out.    Christmas morning over here looks like an embarrassment of riches but when all is said and done, there’s not much to show for it.  I do love buying a great gift tho.  Love to hear those oohs and ahs.
So for the next month I am going to be celebrating Christmas as best as I know how.  Every single day.  Grateful to be in a position to be a giver and hopefully spreading joy and cheer to everyone I come in contact with.
God Bless Us Everyone.