In the Quiet: a Christmas Reflection

In the Quiet: a Christmas Reflection         

In all the flurry of Christmas preparations, programs, parties, gifts, and unexpected events, my most favorite part is in the quiet.

               Growing up, our house was located a block from our church so, weather permitting, our family would walk the short distance to attend the services. After the 11 o’clock candlelight Christmas Eve service, we would usually walk home together. However, on occasion I would walk home by myself. It was in those quiet, unrushed walks when I truly felt the impact of Christmas. Night’s cold air accompanied me as I would stare into the star-filled sky and imagine a host of angels announcing the birth of the Christ child to those startled shepherds. At times, I thought I could hear the angel chorus.  But it was the stillness of the wind, the quiet of the sleepy, little town, and the pure silence of the night that made my heart pound with the wonder of Christmas.

               Then, later as a mother of four, Christmas Eve day became a continual list of to-dos.  By the time night came, and the kids and my husband were pretending sleep in their beds, I would finally have the chance to be selfish. I would turn off all the lights except the Christmas tree, snitch a cookie left for Santa, collapse in my favorite chair, and absorb the quiet.  In the silence, I would again reflect upon the significance of the season, appreciate the brief existing peace, and look forward to Christmas morn.

               Now, as the years have passed and our children have grown with homes of their own, Christmas Eves are celebrated in a variety of ways.  However, no matter the form, the quiet will find me.  Perhaps it will appear in the beauty of the glittering Christmas tree or maybe in the night as I venture outside for one last glance into the solemn, starlit sky.  And perhaps once again my imagination will take me to that first Christmas Eve when Jesus came to save us for Him.  

“That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep. All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord’s glory flashed around them.  The shepherds were frightened. But the angel said, ‘Don’t be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. This very day in King David’s hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord.’”    Luke 2: 8-11 CEV    (you emphasized)

A Roll of Quarters: a Christmas Blessing

A Roll of Quarters: a Christmas Blessing

I had made a last minute stop at our local grocery store to finish buying food for our Christmas dinner.  Surprisingly, the store wasn’t overrun with customers so I was able to take my time. When I went to check out, a woman of lesser means stood at the register in front of me. I didn’t pay much attention until I saw her place a roll of quarters on the counter, and the check-out clerk had asked her if she wanted to pay her bill with the quarters.  The lady shook her head so the checker began to unravel the roll. At that moment, the Spirit nudged me to action.

“Wait,” I said. “I’ll pay her bill. She can keep her quarters.”

The response I received from this lady more than repaid my small donation. Her smile revealed both surprise and appreciation as she thanked me and merrily passed from my view.

Reflecting on this incident as I drove home, I realized God had given me an opportunity to show His love, and thankfully, I had reacted.  However, perhaps I had received the greater blessing because she had genuinely appreciated my gesture of kindness. Sometimes we don’t show our appreciation to others when they give us help or gifts or conversation. We take them and the objects of their good will for granted.  I hope the next time someone offers me an act of kindness, I’ll appreciate it like the lady in the  grocery store.

 “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.”  2 Peter 1:5 – 7

A Poem

Several of my friends have recently mentioned how they are clinging to Jesus as they face personal challenges. After listening to their situations, I noticed how the idea of clinging to Jesus kept coming up in the devotions I was reading as well as in Scripture. Consequently, the following poem emerged.

May you find comfort as you "cling" to Jesus through all of life's trials.

CLINGING TO JESUS

I want to cling to you, Jesus,

Like a piece of plastic wrap to fingers,

Like an errant spider web to hair,

Like dryer sheets to slacks.

I want to cling to You, Jesus,

Like a wet bathing suit after a swim,

Like morning dew to a blade of grass,

Like dust to a well-worn piano bench.

I want to cling to You, Jesus,

When storms of life invade my peace;

When silence becomes my enemy;

When relationships drift apart and cease.

I want to cling to you, Jesus,

When life’s challenges intensify;

When truth and confidence take a slide;

When water streams from swollen eyes.

I want to cling to You, Jesus,

Where trust never breaks;

Where hope never falters;

Where faithfulness never fades.

I want to cling to You, Jesus,

Safe and secure in Your strong, encircling arms.

                                                                                                VLK

“that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling (emphasis added) to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days…”  

Deuteronomy 30:20

            

The Christmas Tree

The following true story was written in 2007 and was printed in the Kansas Country Living Magazine as a Christmas memory.  

The Christmas Tree

Christmas was a few days away. My mom had been bedridden with the flu so we didn’t have a tree because she usually picked one up at our local grocery store. With Mom sick and Dad busy with work, I was afraid we weren’t going to have a Christmas tree.

            Mom had noticed my sad face and instantly knew what was wrong. She suggested that Dad and I go to the grocery store to buy one. After a quick supper, Dad and I hit the streets.

 Only two mangled trees remained on the grocery store’s parking lot. Neither Dad nor I liked our choices, but we were thankful that we had a choice. Looking both trees over closely, Dad thought he could cut a few branches here and there to revive the one.

            When we got home, Dad found his hand saw and cut away. I unpacked the tree stand and the Christmas decorations. Mom had managed to leave her bed and was assisting us as much as possible.

            Dad’s job was to put on the lights first; then, we did the rest. This year, however, I did the decorating solo while Mom offered suggestions from the sofa. When we finished, we turned off the house lights and plugged in the tree lights. Despite its crooked trunk and crippled branches, its colorful array of ornaments, garland and icicles transformed it into a glistening spectacle. It was the prettiest Christmas tree we ever had.

           

AFTER THOUGHT:  What my earthly father did to that marred, unwanted tree is what my Heavenly Father is doing to me.

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”  Philippians 3:20-21

Number 8

Number Eight

           

Last July I was “sitting on pins and needles” as the old adage goes, waiting to receive word from our son that their baby girl was on her way to join our family.  Every day I awoke, cell phone beside our bed, and wondered if this was the day our granddaughter would arrive. With her due date in the past tense, each text message or call increased my heart rate.

As I thought of this great anticipation of new life, I sadly realized that we believers in Jesus Christ should be living with this same expectancy. Unfortunately, the majority of us (including me) don’t.  We are sidetracked by life and its every day challenges and commitments. We are preoccupied with our own selfish situations and events. Sorry to say, some of us have let His return slip from our minds completely.

But what if we didn’t forget?  What if daily, we would awake, anticipating His arrival just as I had awaited our granddaughter’s birth?   What if now, with the beginning of Advent, we would take the time not only to reflect upon His birth but on His glorious return as well?   I wonder.

“Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your LORD is coming.”  Matthew 24:42

NOTE: Our little Evalyn Rose joined us July 14!