The day after...

The dichotomy here is ironic.  On one hand we have Thanksgiving, where we are thankful, giving thanks.  The next morning we have a rush of just the opposite, with people running in every direction to get whatever it is on their lists first.

Now I don’t want to write another “We’ve lost the true meaning of Christmas” piece, or one about how “Christmas is becoming too commercialized.”  But seriously folks, where does this path end??  Since when is stress, anxiety, and worry something that should be associated with the holiday season.  A time when family should be the most important issue, with the expectations and hardships of life pushed to the back burner.

My favorite part of Christmas has always been the Christmas Eve service.  I love walking through the church doors at 11:00 pm, and one hour later, after music, scripture, and candles, walking out on Christmas day.  This epitomizes Christmas for me.  This is what Christmas is all about.  The celebration, the joy, and the hope it brings.  Christmas doesn’t end there.  It continues through Epiphany, and never really comes to an end.  Each day is a celebration of the life Jesus led until the moment he died on the cross and three days later was resurrected from the dead, a continuation of the celebration of his birth.

I encourage you to keep this in mind, remember why we’re celebrating, and how it affects our lives, each and every day.