A Passion for Christmas
All my life I have loved Christmas.
You might say I have a passion for it.
This year I have thought long and hard about why that is.
Naturally, there is the great child like greed for gifts and games on Christmas morning. But this has brought many a disappointment to me and others as well.
So, it couldn't be just that.
There is the family gathering that allows the feel good sentiments of security
(me and you against the world) that mush our hearts and fill us with joy.
This also has disappointed greatly, me and a myriad of others at times.
I guess winter and its tingly cold and contrast of warm lights against bleak skies
can cheer ones heart. Certainly it does work on me that way.
But we have to take those lights down and with that activity we feel a let down.
So that isn't it.
And ah, there is the food!!!!
The wonder of egg nog and fruit cake and pumkin pie could tempt me to keep Christmas
for the feasting alone.
But I could get those foods any time if I wanted.
What is the real magic of Christmas?
What is it my friends?
I feel like a Who from Who-ville because even if you took all those accoutrements
away Christmas would still live on in my heart.
There is only one reason I really love Christmas and its the same for the world out there though they may not know it.
It is the great reminder of the hope that lives in us all.
"For unto us is born this day in the City of David, a savior, which is
Christ the Lord"
We are not forsaken or abandoned. Good news!!
He has come to bring peace on earth and good will to men.
Though my childhood memories are muddled with the accoutrements of Christmas
my heart recalls best of all the Christmas eve service when we gathered with our
fellow man and sang praise songs of Christmas glory to our God and thanked him for
his great gift of Salvation. We lit the candles and sang silent night and all
knew in their hearts what Christmas was all about.
So, bring on the bangles and hoo haws and feasting because it is such a reason
to celebrate. I love it all. I give you a gift on Christmas morning as a small
symbol of the greatest gift of all. I smile at you with extra joy this season
because I am happy knowing I have hope.
I could do this all year long but we take this time out to give it more due.
Though others may try to malign and disfigure this holiday; though it may be muddled with pagan rituals from other regions, it changes not one iota of the truth it holds in my heart.
I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!
I LOVE YOU LORD!!!!
You might say I have a passion for it.
This year I have thought long and hard about why that is.
Naturally, there is the great child like greed for gifts and games on Christmas morning. But this has brought many a disappointment to me and others as well.
So, it couldn't be just that.
There is the family gathering that allows the feel good sentiments of security
(me and you against the world) that mush our hearts and fill us with joy.
This also has disappointed greatly, me and a myriad of others at times.
I guess winter and its tingly cold and contrast of warm lights against bleak skies
can cheer ones heart. Certainly it does work on me that way.
But we have to take those lights down and with that activity we feel a let down.
So that isn't it.
And ah, there is the food!!!!
The wonder of egg nog and fruit cake and pumkin pie could tempt me to keep Christmas
for the feasting alone.
But I could get those foods any time if I wanted.
What is the real magic of Christmas?
What is it my friends?
I feel like a Who from Who-ville because even if you took all those accoutrements
away Christmas would still live on in my heart.
There is only one reason I really love Christmas and its the same for the world out there though they may not know it.
It is the great reminder of the hope that lives in us all.
"For unto us is born this day in the City of David, a savior, which is
Christ the Lord"
We are not forsaken or abandoned. Good news!!
He has come to bring peace on earth and good will to men.
Though my childhood memories are muddled with the accoutrements of Christmas
my heart recalls best of all the Christmas eve service when we gathered with our
fellow man and sang praise songs of Christmas glory to our God and thanked him for
his great gift of Salvation. We lit the candles and sang silent night and all
knew in their hearts what Christmas was all about.
So, bring on the bangles and hoo haws and feasting because it is such a reason
to celebrate. I love it all. I give you a gift on Christmas morning as a small
symbol of the greatest gift of all. I smile at you with extra joy this season
because I am happy knowing I have hope.
I could do this all year long but we take this time out to give it more due.
Though others may try to malign and disfigure this holiday; though it may be muddled with pagan rituals from other regions, it changes not one iota of the truth it holds in my heart.
I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!
I LOVE YOU LORD!!!!
posted by Becky Nelson @ 7:30 AM
7 Comments:
At 8:22 AM,
J. Holo said…
I love Christmas too!!!! yay!! :)
At 10:02 PM,
Anonymous said…
We are actually not doing gifts this year other than some for the kids. It was all just getting to be way too much.
At 6:14 PM,
Anonymous said…
Last year's Christmas had to be the worst one of my life. It was our first Christmas in Belize and everything was just too different here. Almost none of the usual "things" were available to us and try as I might to find my joy in celebrating the true meaning of the season, I could not. I was glad when it was over and we could just get on with life. What a let down.
So I have to admit that I am addicted to all the "stuff" of Christmas. I love it all. It's magic and it only happens once a year.
This year is proving to be very different. More of the Christmas "stuff" is becoming more available in Belize and there are some houses in town that are totally decked out with lights. Also I have adjusted to living here and enjoy where I live which makes a big difference. So we bought a big fake tree and lots of baubles to put on it, shopped till we dropped, made Swedish braids, and tonight we made the traditional caramel popcorn balls like Dad always did. They turned out perfect! We've been playing Christmas music since October!
I love Christmas. But it is true that these "things" that we do and enjoy actually have meaning when we remember our Jesus, our wonderful savior and what He has done for us. That's where the real joy lies.
At 2:26 PM,
Becky Nelson said…
So I guess its completely natural to have withdrawal symptoms from traditional Christmas when you first move somewhere you are not used to. That does not speak of your heart toward Christ or the true meaning of Christmas.
I have had many Christmas' go by that were not joyous at all and it wasn't because the traditions were not in place. I was just plain depressed and so therefore had no honor for God either. I can see why you did not enjoy Christmas that year David. :-(
At 2:31 PM,
Becky Nelson said…
I, too, have pared down quite a bit on the Christmas traditions that have gotten to be too much.
No more Christmas cards!!!!!!!!!
I do hate some of the shallow observances that the world portrays. Yesterday I heard a Christmas song on a radio ad that went like this "We wish you a happy holiday, We wish you a happy holiday". The syllables didn't even fit where Merry Christmas goes. It was obviously cowardice or out right offense to change these words. It is sad.
But I'm glad your getting gifts for your kids Tom.
At 10:35 AM,
Anonymous said…
I came to the realization a number of years ago that I needed for Christmas to do something for me. I would pour myself into the experience of the sights, sounds, emotions and various experiences. Each year needed to be as good or better on the scale of "having a good Christmas." And the melancholy that always came as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were ending....
The Lord eventually drew me into a new place of real Christmas celebration as it was intended by our early Christian forefathers: worship. God called me to set aside times to meditate on the gospel accounts in Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2 relating how God brought about bringing his plan of salvation to earth and to me. Every year I read and meditate again and my heart is caught up in deeper levels of wonder, amazement, gratefulness and love for Him. I also take time to get alone and listen (experience) to Handel's Messiah and use it as a springboard for my own worship. Then there are certain carols whose lyrics capture deep truths the open up heaven for me.
In all of this, I know that if I have not pursued God in deeper levels of worship and been lifted up into heavenly realms to see God more clearly then I have not really embraced Christmas. After all, its not about the story of what happened 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem, its about God sending His best to capture my heart for eternity.
And today I go out to cut down our tree somewhere in the mountains near our house. I will have a very merry Christmas and I know you will too.
At 8:17 PM,
Anonymous said…
I agree with you, Paul, 100%. I am actually growing more and more into a true appreciation for the "Christmas story" that has forever changed all of history and changed me! When I read the gospel accounts I sometimes actually get the chills as I consider the wonder of what happened. I love it! I am hoping to communicate this same wonder to our congregation this Sunday when I preach about "Jesus, the God who comes".
Enjoy your real tree, you lucky dog! When we were in Mexico last week we found a store that actually had a few real douglas firs for sale. They were old and dry but I pinched off a few needles and inhaled the incredible fragrance of pine! That made our trip worthwhile all by itself.
Merry Christmas, family. I love you all so much.
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