As we put up our Christmas decorations and lights, some do it out of a sense of duty to the family or a ritual “we’ve always done it.” Others feel joy and excitement as the house begins to “look a lot like Christmas.” My favorite part is the lights. We have lights on the deck, around the windows, up the banister, and of course on the tree. Hubby puts them on a timer so when I wake up, the first thing I see are the Christmas lights. Those lights brighten my spirit and I love sitting by the fireplace maybe on a snowy day with my morning cup of coffee and just taking in their beauty.
But even as we put the lights up, there’s a dread in my spirit that we’re going to be taking them down again in a month or so. Only a month to enjoy them once a year, or in our case probably about six weeks because I want to enjoy them for as long as I can stretch it out.
As I thought about my love of the lights, I also love how people seem more cheery and helpful during Christmas season. More willing to talk about Jesus the true Light of the world, something we should be doing all year round not just at Easter or Christmas. I started telling people Merry Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. We were shopping and the person in line behind me heard me tell the checker “Merry Christmas” and he commented that surprised him. I haven’t always received the anticipated response when I say Merry Christmas this year, but that motivates me to say it even more every chance I get.
And when Christmas is over and the lights are down, I’ll return to my usual salutation, “Have a blessed rest of your day!” To that blessing I often receive a surprised but grateful, “Thank you” or “You too!”
The Light of Jesus and the joy of Jesus should shine through us all year round. Where we live, we’re blessed to have people who go out of their way to help others. Dave and I have had a tough few weeks. Our car was accidently hit and we had to go through a time-consuming and sometimes frustrating process of getting it repaired.
At one point, we had to have a rental car; but we live in snowy mountains with a difficult driveway and it couldn’t be just any rental car. We were kind and respectful with the rental car manager, Sam, who made sure we had a safe car.
But a couple in our Couples Bible Study Group offered us their extra car if we couldn’t get the right rental. That removed the pressure from us and we were so grateful to have a plan B if we needed it.
Then a part in our heater broke for the second time in a month! We live in freezing weather, but a repairman was there within a few hours to help us. A few days later, our pellet stove stopped working. The local handyman who has helped us many times with other issues was there as soon as the amazing man from our church who plows the snow off our driveway helped my friend who I had invited for lunch get her truck unstuck from the snow in our driveway to clear a path to our house. I could go on and on. There’s never a dull moment it seems at the Thompson’s house.
Every time we faced a new crises, God sent an “angel” to help us and you can be sure we didn’t take any of these rescues for granted. We thanked the Lord profusely and we thanked, and sometimes I even hugged, the people God sent to assist us.
My prayer for you and for me as Christians is that we’re always looking to see who needs our help. Dave and I pray, “Please let us be a light to whomever we come in contact with today.” Not just during Christmas when everyone is usually in a generous mood, but every day and every season. We recognize that it’s God putting people in the right place to help us and we want to be the people in the right place to help others.
I know you’re probably pretty busy getting ready for Christmas, but I’m going to encourage you to read a blog I wrote in 2020 that expresses much of what I hope my fellow Christians can be in 2023 and always: 4 Ways to Let Your Light Shine into the World’s Darkness. Here’s a quote from that article to take with you into the Christmas season and the rest of your life!
“Jesus resides in every believer’s heart. People should see His radiance in our face, eyes, smile, words, countenance, personality, actions . . . . Yes, Jesus expects you and me to reflect His light to brighten the world’s darkness.”
And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. Isaiah 58:10
The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Matthew 4:16
I pray that the Light of Jesus shining in you and me will guide us into how to let the Spirit of Christmas carry us not only into the New Year, but also light our path for the rest of our lives and hopefully the paths of many who haven’t yet experienced Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. Eph. 5:8
Merry Blessed Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
About His Work with You,
Janet
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