Well, I accidenty erased this blog after being about half done so let me start it over with a different spin…haha 🙂 Sorry, I chuckle because part of what I wrote about included a comment made by my parent’s pastor. He said that this time of year, pastors across the country are searching for a new and fresh look at what happened with the original Christmas story. We always seem to find a different spin on it. Is this to keep us more entertained by the story? Is it because we believe it’s a story and not something that has happened in a book that is still being written? Does this reveal a scary truth that maybe we don’t believe fully in the power of what happened so we try to find new ways to spice it up as a way of compensation for having to change our lives accordingly? I dunno…I guess I will let you decide.
Regardless, it’s Christmas time and I just wanted to share some thoughts with you of what’s going on inside of me 🙂
Jesus was born in a manger in Bethlehem in most likely a cave. The only people that seemed to get the significance of what happened that night initially were wise astrologers who were foreigners and lowly shepherds. Seems absurdly fit that he chose the wise and the humble to represent him. Likewise, I can’t imagine how rough his parents looked…seriously, Mary traveled a lot of miles just about to pop and traveling then and there is very little like it is here and now. In a little skit this past week, there was a line that stuck out and seems to embody this well…. He didn’t get what He deserved so that we wouldn’t get what we did!
Sometimes I get cheezy…blame my dad! Anyway, he likes saying that Christmas is all about the presence (not presents). It’s true. The best gift God could ever give us was Himself and that is a more absurd gift than I even dare to comprehend right now. The past Christmas’ have been a little bittersweet for me. I’m not sure if that’s the right word, but there have been some hard parts. I love to be generous and I love to give but due to financial reasons, I haven’t been able to really give the most extravagent gifts. I’ve always known it’s not about presents but it’s humbling sometimes when you just can’t give lke you would like to. I know there are some of you who have been hit hard by the financial crisis in the US and I wrote this paragraph for you so that you can take comfort in knowing that the best thing you really can give is yourself and your love. Everything else is just gravy!
Well, it turns out that I’ve gotten better at accepting the last truth, but was hit with something a little different this year. Times of the year like the one we find ourselves in tend to be best shared with those we love like I had jus said. However, I had a thought that hit me yesterday out of nowhere. The thought was “this is the last time I want to spend a Christmas without a special someone.” I was a bit taken back by the strength of this thought…As I sat and weighed it, I realized that God has created me to be a wild lover and I have learned to be thoughtful. ( I need immense work on both still.) Regardless, times of the year like this, it can be hard for someone like me who wants to spend myself generously and be thoughtful without having someone special to be that for. Before I keep going, I want to let you know that this isn’t a plea for pity or for you to try to set me up. The reason why I’m writing this is this:
In a way, God who is the most passionate of lovers found Himself desiring to have someone in His own image to pour Himself out generously with all of His love and thoughtfulness. He created us and then chose to become one of us so that we could become one with Him…This is the epitome of the “Christmas Story” and yet many of us “celebrate” Christmas while trying to avoid His pursuit. For some of you, I hope this is the last Christmas you ever spend without Him.
That’s all for now, but I pray that you would be blessed and you would be a blessing not only now but always! May you enjoy your family and friends and most of all Him. Merry Christmas my friends!
