Dear friend,
We’re back to December, the time of year when I drive home from work with the aircon blasting while I listen to songs about glistening snow and the fireplace. My favourite time of year.
This year feels even more exciting because I have a home to decorate; I bought my first proper Christmas tree and have space for novelty mugs and snow globes. I find great joy in bringing these touches into my home and having the month tangibly different from others.
But more than a joy in what I can use and see, I want to rejoice in the birth of Jesus. I want to remember Him and glorify Him as He should be. I want to be more like a child this year; not only in the beauty of fairy lights, but in the amazement and hope of what God did for us and continues to do.
This is a season of delight, only I do not want it to end at midnight on the 25th. Jesus was born, and so we continue to rejoice! It isn’t a momentary salvation, it is ongoing. We cannot move into the new year without bringing Jesus with us. Yes, we remember the birth on Christmas, and many people read the Bible story in small passages leading up to the 25th. But Jesus remains our hope. He is always our salvation.
This is the busiest time of year for my workplace, and some of my coworkers have been working overtime to try and catch up on everything we need to do. It is a stressful time.
But this only reassures me that, more than ever, we need to linger on the spiritual. We cannot let the world overtake remembering and glorifying the True King.
Amidst the consumerism and the stress there is a necessity to give God space to speak to us and us to Him. We need to praise Him. We need to rely on Him. We need to glorify Him.
The other night I lit my nativity candle. (It is a scene of Mary and Joseph with Jesus in the manger, with stars cut out in the background where the light shines through.) It was a peaceful reminder of why we celebrate Christmas and why I need Jesus more than anything else. It was simple when compared to the extravagance of consumerism. But it was the chance to linger and make myself small in order to remember the huge act in sending God as a man.
Don’t get me wrong, I will still sit in the light of the Christmas tree and drink from my penguin-wearing-a-scarf mug. But this cannot be the main thing.
Sarah xx
What I’ve been doing
- Sewed some Christmas bunting! Which is now hanging in front of a window. I also want to sew some Christmas tree decorations, but my main goal for this year was the bunting.
- Trying to find decent Christmas movies to watch. Though at this point nothing beats While You Were Sleeping (1995) and The Holiday (2006).
- Yesterday was my Tree Decorating Bonanza, in which my sisters and I put up my Christmas tree. Yes, it is small, but it contains much happiness.
- I wanted to read some books set at Christmas time, but haven’t found anything at the shops. I may need to delve into online shopping, which I have barely done since moving. Are the Christmas books worth it…?
the softest words 