This time next year I won’t have eaten thanksgiving dinner with my family. This time next year I won’t have gone Black Friday or cyber Monday shopping for everyone I love. This time next year I won’t have found my self relaxing by the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate. I won’t have attended any ugly sweater parties or white elephants. I won’t have seen the excitement of Christmas in the eyes of my younger siblings or the warm feeling my parents give during this time of year. I definitely won’t have filled my belly with homemade deep fried turkey or seafood my dad likes to make. This time next year I won’t have spent an entire day baking cookies with family and friends. I won’t be hanging up my favorite ornaments on the Christmas tree. I won’t have watched countless Christmas movies. I won’t spend all Christmas Day in my pajamas and I won’t gather with my family to bring in the new year either.
This time next year I won’t have a lot of things and the weird part is I’m ok with that. People keep asking me how I’m going to feel not being home for the holidays next year and they are shocked when I say that I’m feeling just fine. Of course those feelings may or may not change as I get closer to the world race but for right now I am feeling confident and excited to spend the holiday season on the other side of the world. I may not get all the things I’m used to getting around this time of year but I will be able to share some of that Christmas joy and the love of Jesus to people who may not ever get those things. And isn’t that what Christmas is all about?
