Christmas

I watched my favorite holiday movie yesterday, “Home for the Holidays.” It’s about a family who drive each other nuts, but they feel compelled to get together. I’ve been musing about the holidays, and I have nothing profound to say, just some thoughts. The holidays are mostly about relationships – that’s where the gifts, lights, food, etc. originate from, at least for me. And yet some grouse that we hate getting together with family and friends. It’s too much work, too time consuming, too much of people we find irritating.

In the Old Testament there were years of Jubilee when everyone’s debts were forgiven. It would be lovely if the holidays worked like that, where everybody got a clean slate.
They don’t though, because things are complicated. Old memories of past hurts won’t die, and people who should apologize don’t, or don’t call it what it was, or people who should lighten up won’t, and make mountains out of molehills, and nobody is really sure which one they’re guilty of. So what is my point? Or what do I get out of this?

If I’ve got a beef with someone, or I hate seeing someone because they aren’t kind, accepting, warm and fuzzy, or I’m pretty sure someone is ticked with me but I’m not sure why or don’t agree with them, what do I do? The only thing that ever worked for me when I’m confused was to tell Jesus.

When I ask Him about the craziness, He calmly answers me. Then I know what to do, who to see, how to handle hurts, how much money to spend, how to say sorry, yada yada yada. Then the holidays are calm, and even if we haven’t hit on Jesus’ actual, exact birthday to celebrate, it doesn’t matter. He kind of likes us coloring the fog with lights, loving each other more than usual, and looking for strangers to show kindness to.
Gosh, I feel real Christmasy now.