Is it really almost Christmas?
December 1, 2009 | Just me
I’m in another state today, far from home, with a full day of work ahead of me, but guess what? The calendar reads December 1!
Really?
Has the year passed that fast? Is it almost Christmas? Almost New Years? It seems like just a few minutes ago that we celebrated 2009. Time has somehow become warp speed, which means that I need to slow down to enjoy every moment.
I don’t have any gifts under the tree. Well, there’s one, but I think Richard has claimed it for himself. (It was a great deal at WalMart when he happened to be there on Black Friday.) The tree is up, but it’s not finished yet. The lights are halfway up on the house. I couldn’t find baby Jesus in the Nativity. All I have is Mary, Joseph, a shepherd, a bale of hay, a star, and a few animals. I think the cat ate my baby Jesus. (Honestly.)
And I’m not worried about it. Any of it.
I’ll shop next week, or maybe even the week after. It will be real Christmas shopping. Christmas musak playing. Kids sitting on Santa’s lap. I’ll savor a smoothie at the food court. Maybe I’ll drive to spend the day with my daughters or my son to shop. My budget isn’t huge, but I have one and for that I’m grateful.
The lights will go up. Until then I’ll step outside and enjoy the blue and white icicles hanging from the eaves. I can choose to look at the sparkly lights on one side or the empty spot on the other. I choose the sparkly side.
If all else fails I can put the tree topper we’ve had for several years on the tree, or go without.
And baby Jesus? I’ll just invite God into the whole season and we’ll find a little one for the nativity scene later.
But I will enjoy this season. I will count my blessings. I will stop and thank God for health, for life, for family, for fun, for laughter, and for Him.
To savor something it means that we have to slow down. Take a breath. Yeah, you and I have a lot to do, but today will never take place again. What delights are there in this day that I might miss if I barrel through it?
Have you savored this season yet? Here, come sit beside me and let’s enjoy it together! Tell me what you see today that is beautiful, special, memorable…
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Christmas has always been a very special holiday for me. I can remember growing up on Long Island, NY and having snow to romp in and have snowball fights with friends and siblings. I remember loads of hot chocolate or apple cider and the smells of evergreens or pine. Coming from a not overly religious background, I did always hear the Christmas story read from the Bible at the feet of grandparents or some relative. It took a whole new meaning after I was saved by grace in 2000. Just the words ‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son’ took a deeper meaning to me.
So, to answer your question about savoring the season – for me, I’ve savored it since He captured me every single day. The specialness of the season hits home for me on the day that we celebrate His entrance into this earthly place filled with sin and knowing that He knew He was going to sacrifice Himself for us long before His ministry began.
December 1st, 2009 at 11:38 amI doubt the cat ate it…she usually goes for things that end up very gross and on the porch.
December 1st, 2009 at 1:15 pm