This year my Christmas looked different. It was strange, it was hard, but it was needed. This year Christmas was stripped down to the bare bones. There were no twinkle lights on the streets or houses, no ornaments, bows or Christmas cookies that make it feel like the familiar season at home. This year I spent Christmas without the glamour. I was reminded that Christmas is just as beautiful, just as meaningful, just as special and just as important of a celebration without the “magic” of the Christmas season.
This was my very first Christmas spent away from home, which was challenging. It was hard to miss out on family traditions and it was strange celebrating the season without them. As much as I missed them I know that they missed my presence equally, if not more. So I got to thinking about how God is the God of all comfort in all circumstances and it hit me:
When we celebrate Christmas we celebrate the fact that God sent His son to Earth; Jesus left His Home in Heaven and was physically separated from His Father. Now I don’t know this for sure, but I would think that it is safe to say that this was a bittersweet time for God knowing that His Son was leaving home. This season I found comfort knowing that God has felt the way I have and operating out of that understanding comforted me through a family on the field. God blessed me with a team that became family over the past four months. We made our quaint little tree house feel like Christmas and when the morning of December 25th came it felt like home for a bit!
Without the distractions of the season I was able to truly sit in the Truth of what Christmas is. It’s not about what makes it seem magical, cozy, homey or familiar, but it is about the birth of a Savior that experienced no glamour when He was born in a manger. He came down from Heaven and left the comfort of His ultimate Home and Father. He humbled Himself but deserved a celebration much greater than what He received. He didn’t use anything flashy to announce His arrival, but it was special because He was here! This Christmas I celebrated the simplicity of Jesus’ birth with a simple Christmas.
