A couple of years ago, a member of the church where I was serving as Pastor made a comment to me at the annual Christmas Eve service that I have not soon forgotten. As we are about the same age, he too had experienced the birth of his first grandchild a couple of years earlier. His simple statement was: “You know, Pastor, now that we have grandkids, Christmas sure is fun once again, ain’t it?!”
At the time, all I could do was smile and say was “Amen!” Now, with six grandchildren and a seventh on the way, that blessing has only been magnified many times over! And so has the fun associated with Christmas! My wife and I have had the best time this year gathering up presents for our friends and family, and especially for our grandchildren.
I have to admit that it has not always been this way. As is likely the case for so many, for me, as a child, Christmas was a magical time! At the time, I knew nothing of the stresses, the costs, or the hassles of Christmas. Such is the privilege of childhood. Nor did I know the loneliness and depression many people feel at this time of the year.
But as I aged, of course, I was destined to learn all of these things. One simply cannot mature into adulthood without having to learn to bear responsibility, replete with all its accompanying concerns. Nor can one serve as a Pastor without seeing the consequences of having to bear such responsibility manifested in the lives of others.
Now that I am have transitioned from a Pastoral ministry to a writing ministry, I am no longer privy to so many of the cares and concerns of others. But I do still have to deal with these things in my own life. However, as of late, I have reached the point where I have decided to try not to let the cares of this world impact my joy at Christmas as much as they once presumed to do.
In short, I have committed to do my best to make Christmas fun again! After all, isn’t that what Christmas is all about? Did not the angel tell the shepherds that first Christmas (in Luke, chapter 2, verse 10) that he had come to bring them “good news of great joy that will be for all the people”?
I find it interesting that no sooner had the angel shared this than he was joined by a whole host of heavenly beings praising God! Clearly, therefore, the angels were rejoicing because they had been used of God to bring joy into the lives of others at Christmas.
I too have found the best way to experience joy and happiness at Christmas is to make certain that others find some level of joy and happiness through me!
So, do you find yourself wishing for a little more joy this Christmas season? Have the pressures of life robbed you of your own joyfulness? In other words, would you like to see Christmas be fun again? Then, why not find ways to make it so for others? You might just discover that giving to others not only brings them more enjoyment this Christmas season, but you as well!
SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/bsb/luke/2.htm.
At the time, all I could do was smile and say was “Amen!” Now, with six grandchildren and a seventh on the way, that blessing has only been magnified many times over! And so has the fun associated with Christmas! My wife and I have had the best time this year gathering up presents for our friends and family, and especially for our grandchildren.
I have to admit that it has not always been this way. As is likely the case for so many, for me, as a child, Christmas was a magical time! At the time, I knew nothing of the stresses, the costs, or the hassles of Christmas. Such is the privilege of childhood. Nor did I know the loneliness and depression many people feel at this time of the year.
But as I aged, of course, I was destined to learn all of these things. One simply cannot mature into adulthood without having to learn to bear responsibility, replete with all its accompanying concerns. Nor can one serve as a Pastor without seeing the consequences of having to bear such responsibility manifested in the lives of others.
Now that I am have transitioned from a Pastoral ministry to a writing ministry, I am no longer privy to so many of the cares and concerns of others. But I do still have to deal with these things in my own life. However, as of late, I have reached the point where I have decided to try not to let the cares of this world impact my joy at Christmas as much as they once presumed to do.
In short, I have committed to do my best to make Christmas fun again! After all, isn’t that what Christmas is all about? Did not the angel tell the shepherds that first Christmas (in Luke, chapter 2, verse 10) that he had come to bring them “good news of great joy that will be for all the people”?
I find it interesting that no sooner had the angel shared this than he was joined by a whole host of heavenly beings praising God! Clearly, therefore, the angels were rejoicing because they had been used of God to bring joy into the lives of others at Christmas.
I too have found the best way to experience joy and happiness at Christmas is to make certain that others find some level of joy and happiness through me!
So, do you find yourself wishing for a little more joy this Christmas season? Have the pressures of life robbed you of your own joyfulness? In other words, would you like to see Christmas be fun again? Then, why not find ways to make it so for others? You might just discover that giving to others not only brings them more enjoyment this Christmas season, but you as well!
SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/bsb/luke/2.htm.