Around my house we are almost to the point of thrice daily conversations about Christmas. Where are my gifts around the tree? How come someone else’s gifts are already wrapped and under the tree? Am I getting anything for Christmas?
When you have a 5 and 6 year old it is normal for them to get EXCITED about Christmas. We have an advent calendar that counts down the days until Christmas. They have calendars at school that tell them how many days are left until school is out. They know when Christmas is. Unfortunately for me that means two things. They know it’s Daddy’s birthday and, “Your gonna be 36, that’s OLD!” and I better make sure there presents are bought and wrapped and under the tree before Christmas gets here.
What will Christmas look like this year? Are you excited? Are you worried? Is it “bah humbug” or “Oh, it’s Christmas already?”
Well hopefully and prayerfully your Christmas will be filled with memories of Christ.
It is great having young children at Christmas. They are on a constant sugar high even if they haven’t had a teaspoon of sugar. Katherine reminded her brother the other day Christmas isn’t about getting presents it is about Jesus coming to earth as a baby. I think J.T. got the message, the next night at prayer time he was so excited to tell us about an idea he had for Christmas morning that he almost didn’t get the sentence out.
After a few pauses and excited breaths he blurted out, on Christmas morning before we even look at our presents we should all stop and thank the Lord God for giving us His Son Jesus.
We all agreed that would be a good thing to do.
Christmas is fun. It is exciting. No matter how you celebrate it. It really is a time of anticipation, a time of expectancy. I think that is how God meant for it to be. I’m sure Mary and Joseph although tired and weary from travel, were excited and filled with expectancy.
It seems now more than ever a time of uncertainty in our culture, an election year coming up, a plummet in the housing market, a somewhat questionable economy, a time of religious interest on the rise, (not necessarily interest in Christianity), a blurring of what a Christian really is, you tube, my space, face book, internet communities, blurred realities. We all seem to want something more, more friends, more stuff, more security, more control, more personal time. We sit at our computers and anticipate emails, carry our cell phones on our hips at everyone’s beck and call, we have a need to be heard and a need to listen. But Why?
I believe God wants us to communicate, to think, to listen, to talk. But Why? Who is God? Who are you? Where are you going? Why, How, does God love us? How do we love Him? How do we love others?
Think about what you are looking forward to this Christmas. Think about what you are expecting to get this year. Think about all the wonderful things that you could get but maybe won’t. Now think of the greatest gift you could ever imagine being given. Is there something greater than that, are you sure? Think about it.
After a few pauses and excited breaths, maybe we should just start by thanking God for giving us His Son Jesus. And spend a few days there. Hopefully and prayerfully your Christmas will be filled with memories of Christ.
Have a very merry Christmas.
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