Trees, Lights, Gifts and Bows

There was Halloween for a month of goblins and pumpkins and haystacks and trick-a-treaters, then it was the almost forgotten holiday, Thanksgiving that we celebrated for just one day and now it is the season for Christmas. Trees and lights, gifts and bows; more often than not the true meaning of Christmas forgotten and completely passed by.

We shop and shop for the perfect gift for the people that we love and probably end up settling for something that “will just have to do” for one reason or another. We either can’t find exactly what we are looking for or we don’t know what we are looking for or if we do know what we want and do find it then we find we can’t afford it after all…..so we settle. Maybe this year we should sit back and think about celebrating Christmas another way.

We all have everything we want and goodness knows, much more than we need, so maybe this year we can share some of what we have with our neighbors. But, times are hard you say. Yes they are my friend, and that is why I say share, share, and share again. Make this Christmas extra special for those who are less fortunate then you. I know you hear this each and every year but this year especially, STOP and look around you.

There are people out of work right here in your own neighborhood. Are their families going to have the kind of Christmas that you are having or, NO WAIT, are they going to have any kind of Christmas at all? Will their children know that Santa dropped by their house on Christmas morning or will they feel forgotten? You could feel better about that if you helped. Take a minute and think about this:

The love for equals is a human thing–of friend for friend, brother for brother. It is to love what is lovely. The world smiles.

The love for the less fortunate is a beautiful thing–the love for those who suffer, for those who are poor, the sick, the failures, the unlovely. This is compassion, and it touches the heart of the world.

The love for the more fortunate is a rare thing–to love those who succeed where we fail, to rejoice without envy with those who rejoice, the love of the poor for the rich. Of the black man for the white man. The world is always bewildered by its saints.

And then there is love for the enemy–love for the one that does not love you but mocks, threatens, and inflicts pain. The tortured’s love for the torturer. This is God’s love. It conquers the world! - Frederick Buechner

Christmas can be different this year. We can make it so. We can change the way we think and the way we approach the holiday season. Our spirit can be more open to those around us who in their own ways are hurting in whatever way that may be.

Please take a few moments to go to the nursing homes; you don’t have to take a gift, just yourself. Stop by each room and wish them a Merry Christmas. Many do not have children or family for that matter and are often forgotten by everyone except the staff. I promise you that you will receive a blessing that you will not forget.

Just say Merry Christmas to clerks in the stores who ring up your purchases. Many times they are forbidden to say that back to you, but maybe they want to. Watch them smile back. They are tired and need to know that someone appreciates them. It’ll make you feel good, so go ahead and do it. Take the time.

Drop a few pennies in the kettle outside of stores when you hear the little bells ring. You won’t miss it and pennies add up. You’ll feel better. Send a card to someone you haven’t talked to in a while for whatever reason. This time of year is a good time to mend fences. You’ll both feel better.

In other words, take more than a day or a week to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Pick out one family to help and wrap the love of our Lord around them like He does to you each and every day. Someone out there is lonely. Someone out there needs someone and quite possibly that someone is YOU. God can use you. Listen, can you hear him calling your name? Celebrate His Son’s birthday by sharing the love a little differently this year. Trees and lights, gifts and bows; there is oh so much more to Christmas.

Clarene Evans, Contributor