We are in the season of Advent; what better time than this to create order in our lives…to focus on what is, and what is not as important.
This time of year people tend to aim for high levels of perfection; they set a criteria that is very hard to attain. They want their trees to be decorated perfectly. They want their cookies to be decorated perfectly. In fact, this order pretty much follows in everything they attempt to do. In the end, they are frazzled and unhappy – their ‘Christmas wishes’ simply did not come true.
No matter how hard we try to orchestrate the perfect Christmas holiday, we know the truth down deep inside. We know that there is no such thing as perfection in this world. And there are no perfect people carrying out all this Christmas magic.
A family feud may erupt. There might be a snow storm. Absolutely anything could happen. You know what they say about the best-made plans.
The only perfect person that every walked this earth is Jesus. He has much to teach us about life. He has much to teach us about celebrating His birthday.
Where do we find joy at Christmas? With Jesus. Where do we find peace at Christmas? With Jesus. Where do we find love at Christmas? With Jesus.
When we order our lives around God and His promises, things go a whole lot better. When we acknowledge fully that we are celebrating the birth of the baby Jesus, our Savior who has come into the world, we realize that the best ‘Christmas lights’ exist in our own ‘internal decor’. The ‘outside things’ are lovely: they shimmer and sparkle. But, the real ‘sparkle’ comes from us.
If we let those lights shine on the inside, everything else falls into place. This imperfect world is seemingly more beautiful, because we see it through the eyes of love.
Those people who annoy you as you sit in traffic, those weary travelers on the road of life, are your brothers and sisters. You can cope so much easier with them when the internal ‘heart light’ is set on ‘high beam’.
But whatever you do, keep order in the house…your house. Your body is the temple of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) If you honor that temple, and tend to the light, the whole world will seem like Christmas town! You will find beauty in unexpected places. You will see the light shining in the faces of total strangers. You will be amazed that even in the hardest of times, this lamp will light up your soul; you will find hope, even when all seems hopeless.
You carry this light with you wherever you go; this Christmas light is an eternal treasure. May it shine as a bright beacon to light your way, be it a snowstorm or whatever else crosses your path. The most important thing is to pass it along…God will keep that light going in His own wonderful and perfectly-planned way.
Matthew 5: 14-15: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
So right, Linda. The Christmas glow to the soul can be an every day illumination. With all the unrest going on currently in America and the world, there will be many who might consider the true Christmas light in a darkened place. God’s grip – Alan
Yes! We need to keep that Christmas light going all year long!
God’s truth in every line.
God’s truth prevails in every time and place. We are so blessed…the blessings ever-flowing, without end.
God’s truth prevails in every time and place. 🙂
Such an important reminder . . .
Wishing you joy in this season of Advent!
Thank you, Linda! Wishing you the same.
Oh, my, “If we let those lights shine on the inside, everything else falls into place.” Here’s hoping that we all find that light, and that this year, Christmas will be more beautiful “…because we see it through the eyes of love.” How beautifully you’ve expressed it all!
It is so easy for us all to become distracted. This distraction can make us weary. In the midst of all the goings-on, if we pause and appreciate all the beauty around us, all the gifts we have already received, we come to the baby Jesus, refreshed and awake. I know He longs for us to see ourselves and others as He does; we are already ‘good enough’, and it is all because of Him.
such true words … this should be a time for spiritual connection and rejoicing, not material obsession 🙂
Yes! It is a season of joy!
So true, Linda!! Christmas is all about the light that came to us, and the light that we should shine for others. It’s so easy to get caught up in trying to make all the decorations and celebrations “perfect,” but when we do that, we’re missing the real joy of Christmas!
Christmas is a thing of the heart. When we focus on that, on the love that came into the world and into our hearts, we find peace. When we share that peace with others, we find joy.