It's Okay Not to Like Christmas
Christmas is upon us.
What a wonderful season.
What a wonderful reason.
If you're like me, you usually watch a few Christmas movies during December. You probably have your favorites, everyone does. Two of my favorites are It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol. This really isn't very surprising if you know my personality. I lean toward introversion and am an expert in self-evaluation. Many times I overanalyze my words and actions. So I gravitate toward these stories in which the main character must self-evaluate. He must look back on the past and make an honest assessment of how he has lived his life, how he has treated others. These stories teach our children that our actions affect not only ourselves but many others as well. This self-assessment seems to be conspicuously lacking in our present society.
In both films the main character either doesn't currently have, or has never had, the Christmas spirit. Scrooge has absolutely no concern for his fellow man, and George Bailey has the cares of the world on his shoulders as he sees his livelihood crumbling before his eyes.
So is it important to have the Christmas spirit?
A few years ago, I was feeling some animosity toward life. And what do you know, Christmas was coming. I just wasn't feeling it. I was pretty mad that I was supposed to be all happy about it. It was inconvenient and stressful, and I really just wanted to skip it. I'm pretty sure I said, "I hate Christmas," a couple of times. I'm usually a bit fed up with the commercialism of it all. I'd really just love to keep it simple, but that year it was especially on my nerves.
You're probably thinking what an awful person I was. Didn't I care about baby Jesus? Didn't I want to celebrate his birth? Wasn't I thankful for his sacrifice???
STOP RIGHT THERE.
Is most of what we call Christmas even about Jesus? Let's see, what does Christmas include. . .
Santa Claus
Overspending
Cleaning
Millions of parties
Figuring out what to buy everyone and shopping for it
Making food and making more food
Traveling
Sending cards
House guests
Decorating and undecorating
Ok. Maybe some of this COULD include Jesus, but it doesn't explicitly include him.
So what I'm trying to say is that it's OK not to love the Christmas holiday (and the above list.) The important thing is to love Jesus every day of every year. To follow him every day of every year. To be his servant every day of every year. Jesus isn't looking for a seasonal follower.
Because of what may be happening in our lives at a particular time, the Christmas holiday can be unappealing. Scrooge and George Bailey weren't finding any appeal to Christmas. But was Scrooge's life defined by what he did on Christmas Day? Was George Bailey defined by what he did on Christmas Day? NO! These men were defined by what they did EVERY DAY. Scrooge and George's personalities and influences weren't based on one day or even one season. Their character was defined by the way they lived every day of their lives. And so is ours. What do our lives say about us? Are we Christians every day, every month, every year? How do we show it? How do others know it?
For some of us this won't be our favorite Christmas. Things happen in life that knock us down. It could be:
Health issues
Financial problems
Relationship issues
A recent death
Weak spiritual life
Stress
Worry
or a million other things.
It's okay not to love Christmas this year. Just keep on loving Jesus.
It won't be my favorite Christmas either. Someone will be missing. And I'm going to miss. . .
The big hug you give me when I walk in the door
You calling me "Annie Mae"
Your Christmas breakfast
How you always give up your seat even though you are the oldest one in the house
The way you were always jumping up to do something
The picture of the three Philips
Wondering what in the world to buy you for Christmas
Nonstop sports on the TV
You fixing something that someone else broke
Your CORNY JOKES
Your joy about the train under the Christmas tree
Your walk upstairs to go to bed
Seeing you read scripture in church on Christmas Sunday
Watching you lead singing from the pew
You running errands for Mimi
You stalling our exit by taking Trey to the garage
You saying, "Be careful. You have precious cargo," when we leave
Your laugh
The way you love us
And a million other things.
My family has been recently reminded of our mortality. We are confident of the hope we have through Jesus of eternal life where there will be no more death. But it's going to be a different kind of Christmas this year. And it's okay not to like it.
To hear Mark Shultz's song, click here.
What a wonderful reason.
If you're like me, you usually watch a few Christmas movies during December. You probably have your favorites, everyone does. Two of my favorites are It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol. This really isn't very surprising if you know my personality. I lean toward introversion and am an expert in self-evaluation. Many times I overanalyze my words and actions. So I gravitate toward these stories in which the main character must self-evaluate. He must look back on the past and make an honest assessment of how he has lived his life, how he has treated others. These stories teach our children that our actions affect not only ourselves but many others as well. This self-assessment seems to be conspicuously lacking in our present society.
In both films the main character either doesn't currently have, or has never had, the Christmas spirit. Scrooge has absolutely no concern for his fellow man, and George Bailey has the cares of the world on his shoulders as he sees his livelihood crumbling before his eyes.
A few years ago, I was feeling some animosity toward life. And what do you know, Christmas was coming. I just wasn't feeling it. I was pretty mad that I was supposed to be all happy about it. It was inconvenient and stressful, and I really just wanted to skip it. I'm pretty sure I said, "I hate Christmas," a couple of times. I'm usually a bit fed up with the commercialism of it all. I'd really just love to keep it simple, but that year it was especially on my nerves.
You're probably thinking what an awful person I was. Didn't I care about baby Jesus? Didn't I want to celebrate his birth? Wasn't I thankful for his sacrifice???
STOP RIGHT THERE.
Is most of what we call Christmas even about Jesus? Let's see, what does Christmas include. . .
Santa Claus
Overspending
Cleaning
Millions of parties
Figuring out what to buy everyone and shopping for it
Making food and making more food
Traveling
Sending cards
House guests
Decorating and undecorating
Ok. Maybe some of this COULD include Jesus, but it doesn't explicitly include him.
So what I'm trying to say is that it's OK not to love the Christmas holiday (and the above list.) The important thing is to love Jesus every day of every year. To follow him every day of every year. To be his servant every day of every year. Jesus isn't looking for a seasonal follower.
Because of what may be happening in our lives at a particular time, the Christmas holiday can be unappealing. Scrooge and George Bailey weren't finding any appeal to Christmas. But was Scrooge's life defined by what he did on Christmas Day? Was George Bailey defined by what he did on Christmas Day? NO! These men were defined by what they did EVERY DAY. Scrooge and George's personalities and influences weren't based on one day or even one season. Their character was defined by the way they lived every day of their lives. And so is ours. What do our lives say about us? Are we Christians every day, every month, every year? How do we show it? How do others know it?
For some of us this won't be our favorite Christmas. Things happen in life that knock us down. It could be:
Health issues
Financial problems
Relationship issues
A recent death
Weak spiritual life
Stress
Worry
or a million other things.
It's okay not to love Christmas this year. Just keep on loving Jesus.
It won't be my favorite Christmas either. Someone will be missing. And I'm going to miss. . .
The big hug you give me when I walk in the door
You calling me "Annie Mae"
Your Christmas breakfast
How you always give up your seat even though you are the oldest one in the house
The way you were always jumping up to do something
The picture of the three Philips
Wondering what in the world to buy you for Christmas
Nonstop sports on the TV
You fixing something that someone else broke
Your CORNY JOKES
Your joy about the train under the Christmas tree
Your walk upstairs to go to bed
Seeing you read scripture in church on Christmas Sunday
Watching you lead singing from the pew
You running errands for Mimi
You stalling our exit by taking Trey to the garage
You saying, "Be careful. You have precious cargo," when we leave
Your laugh
The way you love us
And a million other things.
My family has been recently reminded of our mortality. We are confident of the hope we have through Jesus of eternal life where there will be no more death. But it's going to be a different kind of Christmas this year. And it's okay not to like it.
To hear Mark Shultz's song, click here.
"Different Kind Of Christmas"
Snow is falling Christmas Eve
Lights are coming on up and down the street
The sound of carols fills the air
And people rushing home, families everywhere
Putting candles in the windows
Lights upon the tree
But there's no laughter in this house
Not like there used to be
There's just a million little memories
That remind me you're not here
It's just a different kind of Christmas this year
In the evening fires glow
Dancing underneath the mistletoe
A letter left from Santa Claus
Won't be the same this year in this house because
There's one less place set at the table
One less gift under the tree
And a brand new way to take their place inside of me
I'm unwrapping all these memories
Fighting back the tears
It's just a different kind of Christmas this year
There's voices in the driveway
Families right outside the door
And we'll try to make this Christmas like the ones we've had before
As we gather round the table, I see joy on every face
And I realize what's still alive is the legacy you made
It's time to put the candles in the windows, the lights upon the tree
It's time to fill this house with laughter like it used to be
Just because you're up in heaven, doesn't mean you're not near
It's just a different kind of Christmas
It's just a different kind of Christmas this year
This blog is dedicated to the memory of
Philip Hughes Judd, Jr.
13 "Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.18 Therefore encourage one another with these words." I Thessalonians 4:13-18
Jesus loves me, and I'm going to love him back.
This blog is dedicated to the memory of
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