The Reason for the Season

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With the Holidays around the corner many types of emotions can take over.  This can be a time of extreme joy and happiness or extreme loneliness and grief, or sometimes a little of both.

Christmas is one of my favorite times of year! I love cutting down a tree and putting up the family heirloom, the Christmas Village! I love the smell of cinnamon, pine, and peppermint.  I especially love peppermint ice cream!  In my family growing up we always sang along to the Amy Grant Christmas Cd's, so it is nostalgic for me to sing along to her music.  I love making Christmas cut out cookies with my kids and especially love snuggling up with all the Christmas lights on as we watch our favorite Christmas movie!  For me Christmas is a time of peace, a time for family, and a time for building traditions that will be remembered for years to come.

Last year we started a tradition on Christmas Eve that I cannot wait for this year.  We had a "Bethlehem Dinner!"  We ate seeds, carrots, and nuts, like they would have eaten many years ago on the night of Jesus's birth.  We ate on the floor by candlelight.  After that meal the kids got ready for bed and put on their robes and slippers and as they crawled into their beds they found a golden ticket called the "Minivan Express!" They brought their tickets to the van and I punched a hole on their ticket and they entered the van where they were accompanied with hot chocolate and popcorn.  We read the book, Polar Express, while driving around looking at Christmas Lights.  We had a blast and the kids cannot wait to do it again!

With so many wonderful experiences, how is it possible to feel so alone?  There is one easy answer, he is called the king of lies and confusion.  Satan can creep in and tell us we are not good enough.   He can make us feel like we are not worthy and that we are alone.  He is prowling around like a lion waiting to devour us.  Are we going to listen to his lies or will we rebuke him in the name of Jesus and cry out to our Savior!

So many people have been affected with the loss of a loved one, or a fallen relationship with someone close, Or maybe even cancer or a sickness that is paralyzing the body and soul.  How do we find joy when our heart aches for more?   Not more of a "thing," but more of "Who!" 

Sometimes I just cry out to the Lord and beg for him to come back now, but then other times I say, "God, things are great now, so come back soon, but not right now!"  Fortunately,  God's  timing has nothing to do with my plan,  but I do know that God has a plan and time for everything.

  In Ecclesiastes 3 He says, 
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the Heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die, 
a time to plant and a time to uproot, 
a time to kill and a time to heal, 
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh, 
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away, 
a time to tear and a time to mend, 
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace."

When my heart aches for more, I need to go to the one who can fulfill my every need, the one who knows my every thought.  The one who knit me together and knows me by name.  

Don't be caught in the trap of isolation.  We all feel isolated from time to time, whether from our spouse or another loved one, and we may even feel isolated from our creator, but folks I'm here to tell you when you feel isolated from Christ he is waiting there with his hands out ready to take you into his arms and hold you.  Cry out to him, fall on your knees and let the Holy Spirit speak life into you!

Christmas can be a time of joy and it can be a time of sadness.  I urge you to choose Christ because he is the reason for the season.  He can penetrate into the deepest part of your heart and get to the bottom of the pain and heal the brokenness that is causing you to think this life isn't worth it.
  Oh, but this life is worth it because there is a time for everything and now is the time to plant a harvest, tear down strong holds, build your spiritual life, weep at pain, but laugh because Jesus wins! Mourn at death, but dance for life.  Search and embrace the reason that keeps us going on. Know when to speak and when to be silent, but above all love with the love of Christ and find the Peace that comes from the giver of life.

Satan wants you to feel empty and lonely, but the giver of Life, Jesus Christ, wants you to have the Peace that surpasses all understanding.  The Peace that comes from the Reason for the Season!