Today I decicded to clean my bed side area. I hung pictures, letters, christmas decorations, it was very nice and organized which I’m still very proud of. I downloaded exactly 35 Christmas songs including all of the essentials you know Mariah Carie, Micheal Buble, Pentatonix, and I’m still in the process of downloading Die Hard (which yes, it is in fact a christmas movie!) It kinda made me pretty sad and I really couldn’t shake the feeling. I didn’t realize how important my Christmas traditions were to me. And there is a part of my heart that breaks over the fact that I can’t go take Santa pictures with my siblings, go to the candle light service on Christmas Eve, watch my grandma set up her nativity decorations, or decorate my aunt Sharon’s Christmas tree while listening to the same three songs on repeat. I know that Christmas is not about any of those things, but you don’t really realize how much you care about those things until you are stripped away from them. I was praying about it today and I truley believe that I’m being shown that Christmas is still Christmas with out a tree, stockings, or Mariah Carey. Which may sound totally cliche but it’s true. In ministry Amanda our ministry host said “We are not trying to spread American culture, we are trying to spread Christian culture”, and that stuck with me and it came back to me when I was praying. When we are at ministry and teaching the Christmas story we aren’t teaching about Santa. We aren’t telling the story about Rudolph, or Frosty. We are teaching about Jesus, our savior. Now that’s Christmas.That should be our main focus which the outside stuff I agree can be all the fun but it also can distract us from what really is important. I miss my family and friends so so so much, but it’s important to take into account that Christmas is not about them. I’m excited to do ministry, I’m excited to do the Christmas program on friday with the students, and I’m excited to eat dinner and celebrate Christmas with my brothers and sisters even if they aren’t biological. This was really on my heart today so I thought I’d share. And don’t get me wrong. Please drink all of the egg nog and give your families the biggest holiday hugs! Just keep in mind what and why you are celebrating.
Merry Christmas Everyone!!
