Christmas Present

It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you.  ~ Mother Teresa

The Gift

Every year (usually), only moments after our family’s Thanksgiving tableware is done drying, the Christmas season is officially upon us. I always manage to convince my husband to help me deck our tree, halls, windows, and hill. Wintery scenes of past Christmases flood my mind. Happy memories mingling with classic tunes, too many presents under huge, twinkling evergreens, and even a few somber tears. All are reminders of how precious life is and especially the one Christmas Present that not only keeps on giving year after year but is definitely worth sharing.

In Matthew 28:20 ESV, Jesus said, “…observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Amen. In every season. Good or bad. Mountaintop or valley. That’s the difference a Savior makes.

Hope of the world

If Jesus is the hope of the world, how is it possible that I sometimes retreat or fall like prey to insecurities and fears, or worse, doubt? I know He hasn’t changed. God forever stays the same. He fills my spirit with faith and joy and dreams, and words. And hope.

He believes in the ugly me, who frets when things don’t go my timely way or when I should remember and believe the beautiful everything about Him. God is with us. Jesus. More than we can ever ask for or imagine—and much more than what we might envision as the most magnificent Christmas Present. Because He is Present. Now and always.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a savior is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.  .   Isaiah 9:6

Maybe we’re all in need of renovation

Our ongoing cabin renovation (6 months of carpenters, plumbers, electricians, etc from dawn till dusk –or later) is still in progress. Although some days there’s close to none. The place was a mess covered in plastic sheeting this Thanksgiving and we celebrated at our son’s home. We laughed, reminisced, and ate and ate some more.

Dennis and I drove home to our work in progress, with no electric lighting outside and halls decked in broken wood beam trimmings and brown paper-covered floors instead of garlands aglow. I tried to adjust my rose-colored glasses and keep my glass half full, but my heart sank. How are we going to host Christmas Eve if we can’t get our furniture from storage?

This Christmas

The reality: this Christmas may not happen at our home hit me hard. Our two out of state sons and their families might cancel their trips. Again. I’m sad, but not because our floors aren’t finished or our new kitchen installation had some setbacks. The granite won’t be done when they arrive. The Christmas music is drowned out by saws, drills, or hammers. I miss them.

So, there’s no animated deer family on the hill. No Mary, Joseph, or little manger in my rose garden that now resembles the one depicted in a childhood classic book I once loved. And our spruce trees? Naked. The only flickering lights glow from a row of construction trucks parked all along our (and our neighbor’s) street.  

My Christmas Present

This Christmas all I want is to see and hug and enjoy my family. I hope we can go through old photo albums (if we can find them) and laugh and cry together. And finally, I pray they can endure our perfectly messy mess for a few days and be happy for all the amazing changes in progress.

Merry Christmas, Friends

Let it be for God’s glory that we might learn from these seasons and remembrances. Yes, life is precious. This year we’ll focus on the gift that keeps giving year after year, Jesus—the greatest Christmas Present worth sharing.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and stories here in the IAF comments section below. Wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas filled with love, good health, and joy.

~ Joann

*** Special thanks: All free use images courtesy of Pixabay: Feature image byAlan _Frijns from Pixabay    , #1 image Image by Alberto Antonio Peguero De Leon from Pixabay, #2  Image by Kathrynne from Pixabay , #3 Image by Benjamin Zocholl from Pixabay.