Just Like the Rising Sun
One of my favorite things is enjoying a cup of coffee while the sun slowly rises and spreads across the sky. On cloudy days the dull purplish colors seem to spread all the way around the horizon before daylight makes its appearance and takes over.
This week is Christmas. An exciting time for most. A depressing time for some. For me, even though I love Christmas, I love laying somewhat low and finding a place of peace and quiet in the busy hubbub of the season. Like I said, I do love Christmas. I just don't like it when everything gets super busy. And I don't like when it starts before Thanksgiving.
After that I'm fine with leaving my lights lit up as long as there's still snow on the ground, or even just a chance of snow in the air. Soft white lights are so beautiful in the snow, especially from the inside looking out.
Saturday evening Jenelle, Blake and myself, decided to watch a Christmas movie. We don't watch many movies. We just don't. When we do I often fall asleep. With that in mind I told Jenelle and Blake to pick the movie while I fried up some eggs for egg and cheese sandwiches. When I came down to the basement with the sandwiches, they were still scrolling and looking for something. Sometimes picking a movie can be tough. I suggested Christmas Story, but that was out. Jenelle started looking at one of those chic flick movies where some single mom falls in love with a cute guy dressed up like Santa. Luckily she decided that it was probably cheesy. And then we saw that Kevin Costner had a movie out called The First Christmas. With a most convincing voice I quipped, “If Kevin Costner did it, it's got to be good. Remember Dances with Wolves”. Everyone agreed. Well, maybe not with my comment, but at least with watching the movie. It turned out to be more of an acted out documentary than a movie. It was about how that first Christmas really was. Costner did his usual great job of digging into history and making it true to the story. I thought it was great! Jenelle fell asleep. Blake thought it was good too.
On that note I'm recommending that you check it out.
It really made me realize how disconnected we really are from that first Christmas. For me it really brought to light how the true light of Christmas can't be stopped. Such a simple story, if it was truly simple, would have died out years ago. More than just a cute baby being born, (we've had three of those ourselves) it's the story of God coming into our human world and giving us hope for life beyond this one and giving joy and peace in our lives today if we allow him to live inside of us. That great mystery of “Christ in us" may not make sense, but the fact that it gives us peace and joy is what keeps the Christmas story alive and continuing to spread around the globe. When you receive it, it's hard to deny the truth.
“God with Us” was prophesied to be for all people and all nations. It continues to grow around the globe and it's made its way into almost every nation.
Christmas is often celebrated as just another holiday. Some would say that the original story has been lost. But tucked inside all of those Santa’s and reindeer and elves and trees is this little nugget of truth, the mystery that we can have Christ in us.
What's even more exciting is knowing that we can have a part in spreading the glow. It all starts with letting Jesus live in our hearts. Once you find that joy and peace, you can't help but to spread the glow. That's the part that we call love.
This Christmas I hope you are doing just that, loving on others and spreading the good news that Jesus is here. Spreading the news of that great mystery, which is Christ in you.
Merry Christmas!
