This year I am so off christmas it isn't even funny. Not Christmas, but christmas. You know, the christmas of the vortex of a plastic jesus in a plastic manger, of things that light up and blink with their mechanical chip implants that say, 'HO HO HO' or 'Merry christmas', or sing 'Santa Baby' while they whirl and wiggle and shake until their ever lovin' ever readies crash.
Don't get me wrong. I love Rudolph and chestnuts roasting on an open fire, sleigh bells and Bing Crosby letting me know that he is dreaming of a white christmas and wishing me days that are merry and bright. Snowmen have always been pleasant to me and good cheer is never old or unfashionable... but...
On this side of the Cross, the Beauty of Christmas is no longer found in a manger, but in the reality of the Risen Christ. The Simplicity of Christmas is 'Joy to the world, the Lord is come, let earth receive her King, let every heart prepare Him room...' - there may have been no room for Him at the inn - but is there room today for Him in our hearts.
I know that I loved Him just as much in years gone by, when I decorated my home lavishly. But this Christmas, the reflection of my heart seems to be an uncluttered openness towards Him and a 'cleaning out' of the trappings of the world's idea of christmas... that's all.
Perhaps you are sensing the same thing this year, perhaps not. If it is just me, I am totally fine with that. As Edna would say... it is what it is!
One thing I know for sure is that the Reality of His Joy remains, long after the christmas decorations are packed away for yet another year and the reindeer have taken the sleigh back to the north pole.
Of all the gifts I have ever received, as lovely and meaningful as many of them have been, there is only One Gift that is with me Always and Forever... may He look upon me and truly see a most grateful child.
4 comments:
Funny thing is...I kinda feel the same way this Christmas.....ONLY HE matters and all this Santa & stuff is so meaningless and the masses seem so mindless (alliteration buffs!)....about what is actually transpiring around them in this world....could be down right disheartening, and then...I hear, JOY TO THE WORLD and COME LET US ADORE HIM....and I am upbeat again!!!!Maranatha!!Come Lord Jesus!!! Praise to God in the Highest and Peace to His people on earth!!! Merry Christmas everyone!!! Love from Wendy
I am sooo on the same page as you guys!! Like you Cathie I use to decorate EVERYWHERE!! Now I am so tired of all the commercial hoopla around Christmas I just want to join my fellow brothers and sisters in worshipping our Lord and Saviour praising Him for coming to this sin soaked earth and taking on human form for us, and dying in our place.
Praise God He will one day come back for us, not as a little baby but as our reigning KING.
Have a wonderful Christmas everyone.
Hi Cathie,
Oh you hit it on the head.As I've been decorating I asked my husband what the kids would say if I skimped a little. He told me it wont work. I didn't put everything out...I'm hoping they don't notice. From the looks of my recent post you won't be able to tell but believe me this IS scaled down! Hugs from a decorating junky!
Yes, I too am totally aware this year of all the christmas stuff. It saddened me the other day when I was in the mall (not "in" the mall) of all the hustle, the bags, the buying that people were so busy with.Jocking for parking spots and their place in the lineups. I picked up the buns and away I went...secretly smiling inside that I was no longer a part of that
world.
Today as I put away the few decorations I did put up, once again I smiled to myself...shoving the boxes into the crawl space...emmmmm next year it will be time to get rid of somemore "stuff".
This Christmas has been one of reflection...of how my christmases have changed over the years and what it really means to me now and what is really important.
I remember in my other life, I used to sing along to the carols, not paying attention to the words, they were just words then. Now they are worship songs and praise to Him.
Well, the tree is all that remains standing and it will for a few more days..
I look forward to our bible study next year and meeting again with my sisters....
see you in 2010...
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