As the song says, “Christmas time is here … ”
And I find myself once again torn between the beauty and the sadness brought by this time of year.
There is so much beauty in Christmas:
- The music — Everything from the childlike fun of “Frosty the Snowman” and “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer” to the beauty of “Silent Night” and “O, Come, O, Come Emmanuel”
- The lights — Houses decorated with all sorts of Christmas lights, the glimpses of trees in the front windows
- The food — Cookies. And more cookies. Family recipes that are only used this time of year because, well, that’s the tradition, right?
- The gifts — Giving and receiving — and sharing with one another the gifts we’ve bought or made
And yet, even as I count these beauties of the season — knowing there are so many more — I must acknowledge the season can be woven through with sadness:
- Illnesses may cast a shadow over the holiday cheer
- Loss of loved ones through death … or divorce
- Strained family relationships that result in arguments … or silence — and who’s to say which is worse?
- Financial hardships that take all the fa-la-la-la fun out of the holiday shopping
And the question is: How do we balance the reality of both beauty and pain during the Christmas season? By ignoring the pain as we focus only on the beauty?
I don’t think so. There’s room for both in the holiday season. After all, that’s why God sent his Son into this world that first Christmas morning, right? Because God saw both the pain … and made a way for us to embrace beauty.
In Your Words: ” … Maybe Christmas … perhaps … means a little bit more.” What have you discovered to be the “more” of Christmas? And how do you balance both the beauty and the sadness that can be woven through the Christmas season?
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Comments 6
Children are the more that make it fun for me. Yesterday the younger kids had been squabbling (housebound because of weather) and when I mentioned setting up the tree, things changed. Our 9-year-old demonstrated his prowess by becoming a “pack-animal” and bringing the tree and decorations down from the attic all by himself. Our 10-year-old girl became an HGTV decor advisor and had some fairly good ideas. We’re not through, but we spent a nice afternoon untangling and hanging lights and discussing options. More – to- come
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I love the “more to come” finish to your comment. It’s so optimistic, Dee — so you!
What a beautiful post, Beth. I’m finding the more comes in being intentional in how I spend my time and my energy. Taking time to meet with Jesus each day, setting aside social media and screen life to be with my family–fully with them. These are the more for me. The Christmas season is a busy time, but it doesn’t have to be filled with the chaos of doing. I’m looking for the little gifts that come in simply “being” this Christmas season.
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The “more” comes with the “being.”
Love this, Jeanne.
I LOVE that quote, it always stood out to me in the movie:) And yes, we’ve discovered the “more”. It’s the parts that last long past the wrapping paper and gifts…the little moments of cuddles and laughter, time spent together. Those are the moments I’m collecting this year:)
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Ah yes … those are “more” moments too, Susan.
And you and me and quotes … there’s a real “what, you too?!”connection, don’t you think?
🙂