I do love this time of year. My dad does too, especially the decorating aspect of the season. I promise you, every year I find something else added to the attic...another wreath, another box of ornaments, etc. Twlinking lights, wreaths hung, brilliant reds, garland strung along banisters, hand-crafted ornaments hung from lit up trees, candles lit, everything decked out in Christmas splendor...
All of the physical representations of Christmas have come to signal the season for me--even piped in Christmas music and smells of apples and cinnamon have an effect on me in the most unlikely or uninviting places (AKA Walmart). Last night, I found myself singing every Christmas carol, fairly loudly, in the lawn and garden section of Walmart, now transformed into Christmas on crack. There's nothing wrong with the decorations, the smells, the music, or the feelings...
This morning I read a passage of scripture in the New Testament that spoke of the ornamental temple, the buildings, and all of the physical attributes of worship...and after they went on and on about these things, Jesus told them that none of that matters. He refocused them on thoughts of the eternal instead of the temporary. So...all of the attemtion we give to decorating, to making things more physically appealing...it's ok, but to a point. Attention to matters of our own hearts and others' will sustain us...for the Kingdom work today and for eternity. This may sound silly, but I long for people to say things like "your eyes twinkle...you are lit up." And shouldn't we be? We carry this season all year long, in who we are...we are sons and daughters...adopted into this family of faith that reflects the light of a Savior.
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