Christmas for You…….

This will be the first Christmas since my wife and I have been married (for 34 glorious years) that we are both unemployed. It’s kind of odd when you think about it, that presents will have no significance for us this year since we won’t be getting each other any. A Christmas tree with no presents under it, things could be much much worse. Unfortunately we have eroded the meaning of Christmas too often to, “how much was your take” Don’t you just get a kick out of watching someone’s face when they spy out a price tag someone forgot to remove, hilarious. However, just the opposite took place with the baby in the manger. Christmas for Him was about giving up His take.

We both have been praying more often and pondering many things right now, which is a great thing. We discussed the other day after a trip to a homeless shelter how easy it would be for “people like us to end up there”. What kind of Christmas do homeless people have? The Shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth didn’t win the power ball jackpot and all of sudden fall into a bunch of dough, yet they rejoiced over the mini messiah in the manger. Christmas for them was about worshipping the new born King.

Even though there is no money coming in right now for us, God has stilled blessed us enough that we have money to give away at the end of the year. This usually happens every year and brings us great joy. The three wise men (I just had to write that to make some of you upset) traveled very far and made many sacrifices not to get something, but to give something to the future King of the Universe. Christmas for them meant giving not receiving.

My granddaughter and I are forgoing finishing up the story Black Beauty for this month and concentrating instead on Christmas books which we bring out once a year with our decorations. The really good books always end up connecting to the true meaning of Christmas at the end. The reason for Christmas which most of us realize is the Christ Child.

So as I get into a conversation with the brown eyes of a three year old boring down on me in all seriousness about what grandpa can get her for Christmas she ponders this Jesus child and thinks of her little brother who is four months old. She thinks to herself “no big deal grandpa” if Jesus is just like my brother. But she knows better as we both listen to her little heart speak during prayers at lunch in amazement. Christmas for my grandchildren will someday be more meaningful and majestic as they comprehend who this little baby really is.

Are we looking forward to this time of year? Some of might not be because it just means more busyness in our already maxed out schedules. You can literally be Christmas activitied to death. Church activities, TV Christmas specials, Christmas concerts, parties with coworkers, open houses to attend, oh and don’t forget the guys shopping for our wives on Christmas Eve. Many of you just collapsed on the couch just thinking about all that activity? So how do we all catch our breath and take some serious “time” to “ponder” this thing we call Christmas? We will have to be intentional and not feel guilty about saying n-o. How do you spend some time by yourself, clear your mind, climb up into your Father’s arms and ask Him, “Why did you send your son down to earth for us?” After we ask that question, don’t say anything else, just listen for a really long time! Christmas for us should be about listening to our Father talk to us about this baby!