I guess it is appropriat to start my blog with some thoughts about Christmas in this "boomburg" that I live in. One of my son's favorite books is the Berenstein Bears "Too Much Birthday." The story goes that the bears want to celebrate sister bear's birthday, and by the time everything comes together the birthday is so overwhelming that sister bear bursts out in tears because of too much activity. What started with good intentions, ended up in a total meltdown.
Does anyone feel that way about Christams this year? The amazing thing about Christmas these days is how overwhelming the whole holiday has become. You see, Christmas is no longer a day-long celebration or even a week-long celebration. Christmas is a month long grind that begins with a flurry, continues on for over a month and then ends with a thump. We no longer celebrate Thanksgiving as a time to reflect and rest; we use Thanksgiving as a launching pad into and explosive month of shopping, Christmas parties, more shopping, more Christmas parties, wrapping, giving, sharing, eating and best of all...opening presents. It is almost as if the opening of the presents is anti-climatic these days. It is not that I don't enjoy the presents or look forward to Christmas morning, it is just that we have worked so hard to get there, that it is hard to really enjoy the fruits of our labors. I even caught myself already thinking of how much work it is going to take to re-pack all our decorations once Christmas is over...and where in the world are we going to put all these presents that we have purchased? I think I may have to go rent a storage unit to store all my extra stuff!
As I was meditating on all of this today, I began to reflect on the first Christmas. I can't help but wonder how crazy things were for Joseph and Mary. Ladies, how about riding on a donkey for a couple of days to get to Bethlehem the week before you give birth? Dads, how would it feel to get your wife all the way to Bethlehem and then not be able to provide a clean and safe place for your first son to be born...oh, and you are still trying to figure out this virgin birth thing along the way...will he call me dad or should we just leave it as Joseph? And how about all this shephard business? I am not sure how great it would be to give birth to your first son in a stable and then have the whole country side invited by the angels to come and worship the child in your arms...that would take some time to get used to!
No, it would seem that Christmas was crazy from the beginning. One thing caught my attention though. In the midst of the miracles, shephards, angels, special stars, traveling, census, and all the other stuff going on there were times when Mary and Joseph just stopped and took it all in. In Luke 2:19 it says that Mary "treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." A few verses later, Luke says "the child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him."
Maybe, in the midst of the craziness of the season, it would be appropriate for us to take a moment and "ponder." Simeon praised God as he took Jesus in his arms with these words, "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." It takes more than a day or a week to reflect on these words. It may take a whole lifetime, but in the midst of our month long celebration for Christmas, I think it is appropriate to treasure up all of these things in our hearts." Maybe we do have "Too Much Christmas" and maybe the Berenstein Bears will someday have a book by that name, but until then, let us enjoy the season but make sure that we keep the "reason for the season" the main thing!
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Amen. And as a side line topic, Betsy and I were reminded again just how precious it is to know Jesus at this time of year. We visited our neighbor Roy at the funeral home last night. He is very alone and very probably without Chrsit this season...which caused us to remember how blessed we are. We know Where to go when life hurts...we know Who to call on when life bears down...we know Who to run to when the enemy runs after us. The Who and the Where? Jesus. May He remind us - no, may He remind ME - of that this season as we trudge in and out of malls, wait in endless lines, and mingle with people who don't have a clue of the Christmas story. Betsy and I needed that reminder last night. We hurt with Roy last night. I think we need to "hurt" more......
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