Now, There's Christmas!

"When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things - not the great occasions - give off the greatest glow of happiness."                                 ~Bob Hope~

I love my sister.  She lives simply and views the world around her as a place to seek out small joys and wonder.  She doesn’t celebrate a big Chrismas, ever.  Sometimes she doesn’t even put up a tree.  Gifts are difficult to buy and give, so she looks all December long for the Spirit of Chistmas in action. 

Sometimes my sister will see someone in a store reaching up to a top shelf, unable to grasp the object of their eyes.  She’ll witness another come along and ever so able, pick up that can and hand it down to her.  Now, there’s Christmas, she’ll say. 

Sometimes she will unexpectantly spot a bird in a tree, singing a lovely melody.   She’ll stop and say, Now, There’s Christmas.  Sometimes, she’ll see a mother out in the snow making a snowman with her toddler.  She’ll stop and say, Now there’s Christmas.  Occasionally, she'll watch someone smile and say Merry Christmas, and it warms her heart like nothing else.  She loves Christmas caroles and one year she was very sad because they were banned from her favorite store.  "How on earth can you ban Christmas music, while selling all of the toys and merchandise that we are prodded to buy? she asked. 

My sister looks for kindness and simple moments of joy giving.  That’s what she feels is the real Christmas.  Yes, she likes the packages and decorations.  But, sometimes all she can give is a trip out to the woods to make her own Christmas wreaths.  Inivitably, the wreath will end up on someone else’s door.

My sister is kind, and thoughtful.  But, living simply means sometimes the only gift she can give is folding a daughter’s laundry, or baking cookies with a grandchild.  When I witness her doing these things I think…”Now there is Christmas.”

I admire my sister greatly.  Of all the people I know, she has taught me that it truely is in the smallest things in life, that one finds the greatest of joys.  She’s taught me to look, all season long, for the simple unexpected kind moments, and when I find them, indeed my heart says, “Now, there’s Christmas”.

 

Peace to this House

  “Year by year the complexities of this spinning world grow more bewildering and so each year we need all the more to seek peace and comfort in the joyful simplicities.”
                                                                                Women’s Home Companion, Dec 1935

Oh, is it Christmas-time already?  I came home exhausted last night after a long, long day and into the middle of my messy end-of-the-week home.  My husband and daughter had proudly purchased and placed a huge, 6-foot pine tree in the corner of the living room amidst the dog fur and dust.  They had drug out the boxes and boxes of ornaments (which I had planned to prune with a fine tooth comb this year) and released from each their immense contents. They had decorated and lit the tree, and the unused matter was now strewn all over the furniture.  They stood happily smiling and reveling in their sense of “surprise, look what we did for you, Mom!” 

Yes, I was surprised.  I tried very hard not to show my disappointment.  I put on a nice face and said, “oh, it’s beautiful you guys…you did such a nice job.”  

You see, we had agreed that we wouldn’t decorate until next weekend.  And when we did decorate, it would be with beautiful simplicity.  We would cut a small tree from our own pine forest, and it would fit just ever so nicely on our country dining table.  We would put just few lights up outside, and this year would be our simplest Christmas ever.

My older children were looking forward to a special and different holiday this time around.  We had agreed that our gifts would be minimal, simple and heartfelt.  What we wanted most - was not only to be together, but to revive the feeling of Christmases long ago, when our gift to each other was to watch Muppet Movies all day long on Christmas day.  We would have a nice simple meal, and we would have just this one day together when we weren’t tending to others.  We would set aside all of the commercial trappings of the holiday season and concentrate on what means most to us.

My husband and I were Children’s Pastors for many, many years.  Our family life sometimes, oftentimes was sacrificed for the needs of the many families we served.  Christmas was the one day each year that we closed the doors, stayed inside and spent time with only each other.  I was so looking forward to closing the door to the outside once again.

I’ve been ever so disturbed, these last few weeks, after the horrible and ridiculous events surrounding Black Friday: pepper spray, grabbing, trampling, shooting and looting…"Is this what Christmas is about???"  I demanded from my family.  NO Big Box Christmas for me this year!  I’ve successfully eluded all of the retail trappings this season so far, and I had set myself firmly on the path to making lovely little gifts that spoke from the heart. I vowed not to purchase a single thing from a department store.  I was ready!!!...That is, until I saw the huge tree with blinking lights sitting in my living room.  Those two smiling faces made me realize that it's not just about my way of thinking that's important, and I'm feeling a little guilty.

Today, I’ve been trying to decide…should I clean the house and finish decorating?  Should I set aside the sewing project I’ve been working on for someone special this week, and just give in to the Retail- Christmas that everyone seems to cherish so much?  Or, should I set aside the decorations, dirt and dust, clutter and dog hair and continue on with my own simplistic view of things, ignoring everyone else. 

This afternoon, I have come to a conclusion: one that makes the simplicity of the holidays just that, simple.  I will seek peace and comfort in my cozy little home, albeit the dust and fur.  I will set aside the sewing project, that was too big anyway, and I will give in to my husband and daughter’s joyful surprise.  Bless their hearts anyway.  I will decorate the rest of the house with beautiful simplicity and I will continue to avoid the Big Box store.  And on Christmas Day?  We will eat a simple meal and watch Muppet Movies…all day long!

Let’s enjoy this wonderful season together…and if you see a big mess coming up to greet you, find a solution, a simple one.  One that brings peace and a little joy (not just to you, but to those blessed little hearts around you too!)  Oh yeah, the pine tree really does smell wonderful!

 Luke 10:5  “Into whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace be to this house.”

Hospitality is NOT an Industry

“I have never met anyone who was offended because I opened my door and  invited him to come in".    - author unknown

I can smell the turkey cooking in my kitchen.  It must be getting close to being done, because my St. Bernard is parked in front of the oven in the hopes that some bit will magically drop into her mouth.  She always does that on holidays.  Only today is not a holiday.  Actually, Thanksgiving was a few days ago.  We spent it, as we usually do, with my husband’s family.  We got to see folks whom we hadn’t seen for years.  It was wonderful.

So why is there a turkey in the oven?  Not only, because my husband loves turkey, but because our neighbors did not celebrate the holiday with the traditional fare.   They ate Salisbury steak in the quiet of the little cabin they share.  Their son lives in a state far away, too far to drive to, and their only daughter passed away a few years ago.   A turkey dinner just seems like too much for them to conquer anymore; and besides they reason, it’s just the two of them.

In our culture, many people equate hospitality with hotels and commerce.  It’s interesting that this age-old practice of opening one’s home to strangers, families and friends is no longer even considered when we talk about offering hospitality.  Webster defines hospitality as “receiving or treating guests or strangers warmly and generously”…when, oh when, did this act become a business? 

My husband and I were foster parents for many; many years…we received and nurtured over 50 children in our home.  None of them came in feeling welcomed; all of them were frightened and worried.  These little ones felt that they didn’t”belong” anywhere.  Somehow our own children and family were able to offer them warmth and acceptance and each of them learned quickly that they were safe and welcomed.

Hospitality is a ministry of encouragement.  My children learned that some people have “yes-faces” and some people have “no-faces.” Yes-faces are ones that offer true hospitality.  It was toward the yes-faces that they gravitated and learned that these were approachable people who could offer friendship, advice and encouragement and yes, sometimes, even hope.  These hospitable people  weren’t afraid to open their hearts and homes to them.  I'm so thankful for this! My children have developed wonderful yes-faces, and as a result are some of the most hospitable people I’ve ever met!

Hospitality begins in the home, yet in the rush of today's modern lifestyle; it’s often one of the last things on our list of priorities. Becoming hospitable refers to our reception and treatment of others.  It does not mean that our houses are furnished with the best that money can buy, or even that it’s the cleanest of clean.  It means that we are comfortable there, and there is room for another’s comfort as well.   Tonight, we will cook a turkey for just a few.  Not because we missed the holiday of Thanks-Giving, but because we want to continue giving thanks today, and maybe offer our friends a little encouragment.