Am I the only one who every year secretly hopes that December will come and with it those "peaceful easy feelings" of joy and renewal and passion? And instead, midway thru, I just want January to get here as quickly as possible. And then January comes, and I hope for the same all over again. Every December seems to just get busier, even with concerted efforts to minimize. I'm still wrapping, ordering, baking, cleaning, preparing, shopping, and this year, I am schooling. December begins in fast forward and doesn't stop.
My blog ideas usually come when I run and right now running is sporadic at best so I haven't much to say. I've been hoping that thoughts of Christmas in all of its magic would drift from head to page in the last couple of weeks, and I would be able to articulate, with great gusto and emotion, like the apostle Paul, "for me to live is Christ!" But alas, nothing. On I good day, I might muster up something like "Carpe Diem!" but that is about as spiritual as it gets. Regretfully, it is more of an indication of my heart than of my creativity (which, yes, is flighty too). The Christmas carols that we sing each night with our kids have been rote and habitual. While my kids eagerly anticipate opening our advent calendar each day, for me those little boxes are no different than opening a can of green beans. This year, hanging the Christmas tree ornaments was another opportunity to check off my to-do list and give my husband the silent treatment. And so December is like any other month, isn't it?
Yes, in fact, it is. Praise God.
I think this is where I've been affected by all of the "spirituality" out there. The hype of emotion that seems to permeate our pulpits, stages, and showtime Sundays. I'm looking for a "feeling" to draw me to my Savior. Something that I could claim is a special connection with the Spirit. It is not unlike my feelings approaching worship on Sunday morning. I want a "pick me up" to get me through the week, to be spiritually "drugged" by some one hour experience.
So I guess the same is true for December. I want the feelings that this month evokes to get me through the year. Can hot chocolate, a Christmas tree, roasted chestnuts, and Santaland do that? Maybe. But it seems to me that it should look something more like this: like knowing that while I bake that 13th loaf of pumpkin bread, I remember and cling to my Bread of Life. Or while I carefully wrap up all of those shirts and trucks and dolls, I pray that my children would know the True Gift. Or while I set the table with Christmas china and polish the silver, I remember the Great Banquet waiting for me in heaven. Wouldn't that be wonderful? To depend on truth like that? Apart from some outside entertainment?
And does only have to happen with pumpkin bread? And Christmas gifts? And do I have to eat on Christmas china?
I think what I'm learning is that I don't need the "chills" to know my Savior. I don't need to weep to see my Christ. I don't need to belt out "Glory to the Newborn King" just like the herald angels did. I certainly don't need snowmen (already learned that). No, what I need has already been given to me. It is Christ Himself. He is enough in July. He is enough when it is raining. He is enough when someone else is preaching. He is enough when the worship leader is out of town. He is enough when my dearest friend turns against me. He is enough if we have to skip Christmas next year! My feelings are seasonal, but He and His Word are not. "Thanks be to God!"
My blog ideas usually come when I run and right now running is sporadic at best so I haven't much to say. I've been hoping that thoughts of Christmas in all of its magic would drift from head to page in the last couple of weeks, and I would be able to articulate, with great gusto and emotion, like the apostle Paul, "for me to live is Christ!" But alas, nothing. On I good day, I might muster up something like "Carpe Diem!" but that is about as spiritual as it gets. Regretfully, it is more of an indication of my heart than of my creativity (which, yes, is flighty too). The Christmas carols that we sing each night with our kids have been rote and habitual. While my kids eagerly anticipate opening our advent calendar each day, for me those little boxes are no different than opening a can of green beans. This year, hanging the Christmas tree ornaments was another opportunity to check off my to-do list and give my husband the silent treatment. And so December is like any other month, isn't it?
Yes, in fact, it is. Praise God.
I think this is where I've been affected by all of the "spirituality" out there. The hype of emotion that seems to permeate our pulpits, stages, and showtime Sundays. I'm looking for a "feeling" to draw me to my Savior. Something that I could claim is a special connection with the Spirit. It is not unlike my feelings approaching worship on Sunday morning. I want a "pick me up" to get me through the week, to be spiritually "drugged" by some one hour experience.
So I guess the same is true for December. I want the feelings that this month evokes to get me through the year. Can hot chocolate, a Christmas tree, roasted chestnuts, and Santaland do that? Maybe. But it seems to me that it should look something more like this: like knowing that while I bake that 13th loaf of pumpkin bread, I remember and cling to my Bread of Life. Or while I carefully wrap up all of those shirts and trucks and dolls, I pray that my children would know the True Gift. Or while I set the table with Christmas china and polish the silver, I remember the Great Banquet waiting for me in heaven. Wouldn't that be wonderful? To depend on truth like that? Apart from some outside entertainment?
And does only have to happen with pumpkin bread? And Christmas gifts? And do I have to eat on Christmas china?
I think what I'm learning is that I don't need the "chills" to know my Savior. I don't need to weep to see my Christ. I don't need to belt out "Glory to the Newborn King" just like the herald angels did. I certainly don't need snowmen (already learned that). No, what I need has already been given to me. It is Christ Himself. He is enough in July. He is enough when it is raining. He is enough when someone else is preaching. He is enough when the worship leader is out of town. He is enough when my dearest friend turns against me. He is enough if we have to skip Christmas next year! My feelings are seasonal, but He and His Word are not. "Thanks be to God!"
1 comment:
I like this post! Why do we expect and need Christmas to be such a magical time of year?
BTW- we are doing 2 more days of school and that is it until next year! So excited for the break. Then maybe I will find time to blog a bit...I think that homeschooling has killed all my extra creative juices, if I ever had any.
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