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Holiday Splendor
By Nancy Virden (c)2011
The holidays can be the impetus for various moods. Christmas music adds to wintry enthusiasm and hopes with lively tunes. Sentimental melodic songs make us wistful for days gone by or never realized. Challenging weather changes, long-anticipated family gatherings, and yearning for people who used to fill now empty chairs. All of it creates a mixture of emotions often-times unlike any other time of year. One simple fact remains for most of us- the epitome of pleasure at Christmas time is watching children enjoy the season.
The younger the child, the shorter the pause between Christmas morning and questions about the next big event. By summer they will be thinking about the new school year, and Christmas again by July. When my sons were growing up, sometimes I just wanted them to focus on the here-and-now.
All of Jonathan's fifth year he kept dreaming about being six. He envisioned that age to be a magical time of equality with grownups, independence, and better toys. Repeatedly throughout the year I heard comments like "When I'm six..." and "I can't wait to be six!". The morning finally arrived and I entered his room to awaken him.
"Happy Birthday, Jonathan", I sang out.
Immediately came the sleepy reply, "Next year I'll be seven!"
Truth is, we don't appreciate much in this life until it is gone. As childhood whizzed past we spent much of our time thinking of the wonder of being a grownup. Some grownups want to live in the past and bemoan the loss of youth. It takes a special effort, a commitment to appreciation for someone to enjoy what they have been given in the present.
An example is my annual sabbatical to the Christmas tree. Once each Christmas season, after everyone in the household is fast asleep, I gather a blanket and pillow (and maybe a hot chocolate) and set up camp by our Christmas tree. My favorite instrumental music plays in the background as I beginning talking to God. I tell Him about my year and praise Him for being with me through it all, then listen.
He whispers of His love for me. He confides His plans for my life. We share moments that cannot be expressed in mere English. As I thank Him silently, the miracle happens. Gazing at the tree endowed with twinkling lights, through my tears I see prisms. Each tiny lamp becomes a shooting star. Hundreds of rainbow colored luminescent spires shoot to the ceiling and I remember this is the God who formed light out of nothing. "He wraps Himself in light as with a garment", He is the "Father of the heavenly lights". He is the grand creator of this splendor and yet holds me in His hands. He is to be trusted with my life. I have everything to be thankful for.
Hence, I do have a commitment to appreciation despite moods to the contrary. I encourage you to do the same. Pause and seek God's face. Write down His blessings if you wish. Could you stop and smell the roses? Sure, in the summer!
Suspending the busyness of this time of year just requires fixing your eyes on the Light as you view Christmas trees through grateful tears.
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Taste and see that the Lord is good! That's a neat idea to spend some time at the tree thanking Him and reminding ourselves that we trust Him.
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