Today has been a wonderfully relaxing, special day with my family. We had pancakes and opened gifts from each other, then had dessert and more food while watching one of our favorite movies. Now I’m just drinking tea and enjoying some quiet time with Christmas music playing in the background. (And writing this blog post.)
While thinking about what to write for Christmas, this post from last year came to my mind.
Something very similar to the story I share in this post happened to me again recently, and it made me realize once again the importance and transforming power of a smile and a loving, kind attitude toward everyone we meet.
I hope you enjoy this post from last year and that you will have a chance to transform someone else’s day during this Christmas season.
Merry Christmas! How’s your gift shopping going? I finished all of my immediate family Christmas shopping several weeks ago and I’m so proud of myself. I think that’s pretty good for a master procrastinator like me.
Moving on . . . would you like to know a simple way to help make someone’s day so much brighter and more positive? It’s simpler than you think and often overlooked.
If you don’t already know, I’ve been working as a library aide with my county library for the past year and a half. My job primarily involves covering the customer service desk, so I’ve seen quite a few unique and interesting people come through the library.
Either with you, my esteemed reader, or with you, my valued but under prioritized blog.
Rather, this is my attempt at picking up my poor neglected blog and blowing some life back into it.
But really, at the risk of being cliche, it’s not any fault of my blog that I haven’t posted in so long. It’s me. No, seriously.
And it isn’t even that I haven’t had any motivation to write lately or been stuck in a massive case of writer’s block to rival all writer’s blocks. It’s more to do with the kind of writing I’ve been doing.
Merry Christmas! How’s your gift shopping going? I finished all of my immediate family Christmas shopping several weeks ago and I’m so proud of myself. I think that’s pretty good for a master procrastinator like me.
Moving on . . . would you like to know a simple way to help make someone’s day so much brighter and more positive? It’s simpler than you think and often overlooked.
If you don’t already know, I’ve been working as a library aide with my county library for the past year and a half. My job primarily involves covering the customer service desk, so I’ve seen quite a few unique and interesting people come through the library.
1. O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
2. O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o’er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
3. O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
4. O come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heav’nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
5. O come, Adonai, Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,
In ancient times didst give the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
6. O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
And order all things, far and nigh;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And cause us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
7. O come, Desire of nations, bind
All peoples in one heart and mind;
Bid envy, strife and quarrels cease;
Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
~ c. 15th century
This particular Christmas carol had been on my mind a lot recently. I think it’s a fascinating one. It is one of longing and heretofore unfulfilled hopes and desires, while also conveying the deep confidence and joy in the knowledge that those hopes and desires will come true.
Written primarily from the perspective of an Old Testament Israelite, who could very well have lived and died without seeing this promise come to pass, this song reminisces about the past glories of the God of Israel shown to the Jewish people through the law and the kingship and points to the even greater majesty and victory to come through the future advent of God to earth.
This manifestation of the God of heaven would come as a helpless human baby, a sign utterly plain and powerful that God Himself is with us and lives among us. Emmanuel.
Now that we are two thousand years removed from that promised coming of the Messiah to Israel, we can see infinitely more clearly the ramifications of what the Jews could only imagine. As the seventh stanza indicates, the advent of “God with us” has an effect on more than just the Jewish nation. Jesus’ coming to earth was something that all nations yearned for; it is something that will bind all peoples together and “fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.”
Now, we can truly rejoice in the realized hopes and desires of all history.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
(Luke 2:10-14)
Recently I mentioned to my mom that for some reason, I haven’t been able to really get into the Christmas spirit this December, and I’m not sure why. Maybe because I wasn’t around when my family decorated the house and the tree, maybe because I’ve been distracted by a whole host of other things going on.
But I just haven’t been in the festive Christmas mood as much as I normally am this time of year, despite the fact that I started listening to Christmas music back in the middle of November and have gotten all my Christmas shopping done. It just hasn’t felt completely like Christmas.
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what that “Christmas mood” or “Christmas spirit” is defined as, but I think you all know what I mean. It’s something that can’t easily be put into words; a feeling that often involves excitement and goodwill and a sense of unity with those around you.
But thinking about that made me wonder: why does that Christmas spirit matter, and what causes it? And is that even an important thing to be focusing on during this season? Does it really even matter whether I’m in a “Christmas mood” or whether it “feels like” Christmas?
As the saying goes, Time waits for no man, and every year that passes makes me more painfully aware of that fact. I remember the first year that I actually became aware of the time flying past me. It was the year of 2008, and at the end of it I realized for the first time what it feels like for time to fly by. Sadly, not a single year of my life since then has slowed down the smallest bit; instead, each successive year has flown by faster than the year before, and the year of 2016 was no exception.
Silent Night is one of the world’s best-loved and most well-known Christmas carols. Ever wonder what the story behind it is? You’ve probably heard of some rendition of the story about the organ in a church being broken and the pastor scraping together a last minute Christmas song for the church with the organ player and a guitar. The details of the story have been somewhat obscured by time, but here is what one writer and historian has researched and put together about the true origins of that famous song. Continue reading →
I haven’t done a Christmas post yet, so here is a random thoughts Christmasy post for you to read. I’ll warn you–my Christmas life is sort of lacking in excitement and festivity at this point. But I do have a few Christmasy thoughts rattling around in my head.
Merry Christmas! I hope you all are having special times with friends and family today as you remember the birth of Jesus and the true significance of this day.
I figured that nothing could be more appropriate for a Christmas post than the original Christmas story, straight from the Bible. So here it is, along with a short dramatized video of these verses. I hope you enjoy it!
“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.For nothing will be impossible with God.”And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:26-45)
“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.And all went to be registered, each to his own town.And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,who was with child.And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.” (Luke 2:1-21; 39-40)
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem,saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared.And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.” (Matthew 2:1-12)
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
(Luke 2:10-14)
Recently I mentioned to my mom that for some reason, I haven’t been able to really get into the Christmas spirit this December, and I’m not sure why. Maybe because I wasn’t around when my family decorated the house and the tree, maybe because I’ve been distracted by a whole host of other things going on.
But I just haven’t been in the festive Christmas mood as much as I normally am this time of year, despite the fact that I started listening to Christmas music back in the middle of November and have gotten all my Christmas shopping done. It just hasn’t felt completely like Christmas.
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what that “Christmas mood” or “Christmas spirit” is defined as, but I think you all know what I mean. It’s something that can’t easily be put into words; a feeling that often involves excitement and goodwill and a sense of unity with those around you.
But thinking about that made me wonder: why does that Christmas spirit matter, and what causes it? And is that even an important thing to be focusing on during this season? Does it really even matter whether I’m in a “Christmas mood” or whether it “feels like” Christmas?
Well, that gave me another line of thought: What is the essence of Christmas? Is Christmas composed of brightly-lit trees or family get-togethers or festive aromas or Rudolph or “Silver Bells” or George Bailey or decorations or pumpkin pie?
Though all those things are enjoyable aspects of the season, they are not the essence of what Christmas is. And as a Christian, that’s something that I’m continually aware of and mentally assent to.
But are those the things that cause us to get into that Christmas spirit? Are those things the primary significance of the season to us?
Why is this season an exiting and festive time of year for us? Does the Christ of Christmas put any excitement or wonder or joy in our hearts, or is it really the music, food, and gifts that are the reasons for our happiness and celebrations?
You may be thinking that I’m being a bit harsh with all my questions, but I’m searching for the stark reality in this, and it’s every bit a challenge to myself as well as to anyone else who may be reading this. Questions like these make us stop and think more deeply on the meaning and reasons behind what we do. I’ve often found myself all too easily caught up into the fun and festivities and materialism of the season, unintentionally slipping into forgetfulness and ignorance of why we even have Christmas.
So, as I’m contemplating the reasons for my lack of Christmas spirit and searching to put it back into my heart full blast, the quiet voice of God gently reminds me of the true significance of the season, and I think, Maybe what I need to do is not focus on trying to feel the Christmas mood and and attempting to recover it through extra doses of Bing Crosby, gingerbread cookies, and Christmas shopping. Because those are all superficial layers of Christmas. Maybe I need to focus on the God behind it all, the Christ of Christmas, Emmanuel — God With Us.
Maybe I need to soak in the deeper meaning of what His incarnation truly is for me. How it has changed the world — changed my world — and is still changing it. How the God of the universe was miraculously born as the God-Man, and how the angels rejoiced to see their Lord and Master humbled to the level of humanity because they realized more deeply and fully how revolutionary it really was to the entire realm of existence, how significant a part it played in God’s plan of the ages.
Why did the angels rejoice? What was their reason for celebrating? I can tell you for sure that it wasn’t because God had just decided to throw a party for them in heaven with gifts and food and fun for everybody.
So maybe I should seek out the same source of merriment and excitement this season. Because if anybody knew what was real cause for joy, it was the angels. They knew what was really worth getting excited over.
I want to take the time this Christmas to ponder the significance of Jesus’ incarnation and get excited about what it means for me. And while I will enjoy the festivities and fun that comes with the season, I’m going to try to keep my focus on the Baby who grew into a man to be my Savior and Lord and bring salvation and hope to the whole world.
And I think a natural result of that will be to put a spirit of true joy and anticipation back into my heart. Not just a superficial and temporary happiness from earthly pleasures, but a genuine, never-ending joy that gives depth and light and purpose to life.
And that’s truly recapturing the Christmas spirit.
I want to invite you to join me in remembering the real reason for rejoicing and excitement this Christmas, and to let your joy overflow into the lives of everyone around you. Let’s recapture the true Christmas spirit!
~~
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Photo credit for Featured Image: “Shepherds 25” by Waiting for the Word.