Between the Holidays

Thanksgiving is over, Christmas is quickly approaching. How’s your heart? Ticking along at a steady pace, or beating out of your chest in this holiday season.

Perhaps some of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and you look forward to Christmas even though you have shopping, decorating and cooking to do. 

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Others may have had a very tense Thanksgiving and the thought of another family gathering is more than you can even begin planning. Maybe you are missing someone who is no longer a part of your holidays due to broken relationships, geograhical distance, or death. 

Does your job, kids holiday activities, or purchasing and wrapping Christmas gifts have you paralyzed as you head into December?

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I get it and have experienced all of these scenarios over the years. Some holidays were almost unbearable as I missed loved ones desperately. Other years, I just couldn’t figure out how I’d get it all done in time. Sometimes I just wanted to skip the holiday.

What if we refocused this year? What if we chose to think about what we really do have to be thankful for even in the difficulties and busyness of the season? I recently started a nightly habit of writing down a couple of things each day where God showed up. Some days it’s harder than others to add to this list, but I always find something for which I am grateful.

If you have lost a loved one this year, I pray your heart is comforted by the presence of Christ. I pray the body of Christ will minister to you. I pray Scripture will help bring healing in your loss. Jesus sees every tear, hears every cry, and knows your heart even better than you do. 

Psalm 145:18 reminds us that, “The LORD is near all who call out to him…” And Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction…”

No matter what you are facing today, remember what we are celebrating! Think about where we would be if Jesus had never come. But He did! And no matter what else is going on in our lives, we can be thankful and experience His presence. 

Reread Luke 1 and 2 and revel in His birth, our greatest Christmas gift of all!

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