Christmas Time is Here

"Christmas time is here

Happiness and cheer

Fun for all that children call

Their favorite time of the year 

Snowflakes in the air

Carols everywhere

Olden times and ancient rhymes

Of love and dreams to share 

...Christmas time is here

We'll be drawing near

Oh, that we could always see

Such spirit through the year..."

~Charlie Brown Christmas

Christmas started while I was still at my parents' house for Thanksgiving, and it continued yesterday as the Hubster and I decorated our Burrow.

 I tried to study today, I really did, but I just keep getting lost in twinkle lights and wrapping paper. I've had my Christmas playlist on repeat, much to Hubster's amusement (I take Christmas a bit more seriously than he does. :-) ). There's already a pile of presents under our tree, plans have been made for family and friends to visit, and I've had a reading list a mile long since July to tackle over break. And all those things are good--wonderful, really--but they're not the point. Part of the point, but not all of it. I'm reminded of some wise words that were said to me about 7 years ago:

"A lot will ring empty here this time of year because it is empty. 

Delight-- TRUE delight-- is other worldly."

~Steve Bennett

I said a moment ago that loved ones, gifts, and enjoyable past times are part of the point. These things reflect love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. And those things are other-worldly. They ring true because they come from Truth. 

My friend Brenda will be delighted to know that the Carpenters are winning my vote for current favorite Christmas album. I've always loved them because they're classic, but, this year, one song really caught my attention:

It's Christmas time and time for a carol
Time to sing about the little King
To fill the bowl and roll out the banel
Have ourselves a fling

We greet a friend or welcome a stranger
Let him sing on cheer him on his way
And celebrate the child in the manger
Born on Christmas day

Good cheer for you and for me
With pleasure and glee to share
Oh, we're so happy to be together
On yuletide square

It looks like snow and falls like snow
Take a moment, take a look about and say
As snowflakes fall
Merry Christmas to one and all

~"It's Christmas Time"

That's what it's all about. Not gifts, not a break, not the hokey-pokey. It's all about the Child in a manger who was the Savior of the world. 

I'd like to share a few words that help me to remember why this time of year is so special to us. 

Emmanuel- God With Us. After millennia of prophecy, each and every one was fulfilled by a child born of a virgin. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14a).

Ichthus- In Greek, this acrostic means "Jesus Christ, Savior." The baby grew up and became sin for us so that we might become children of God and heirs to His kingdom. 

Agape- Perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18). God himself died on a cross and rose again because of His perfect, overwhelming love for us. 

For some of you, these words ring true. But for others, you're skeptical. You might even think I'm a bit kooky, even uneducated. Hope is out of fashion these days, and cynicism is all the rage--I get that. But we all believe that Christmas is a time for hope, kindness, generosity, and love--why can't we believe that every day of the year? What if our "Christmas spirit" is a lot closer to the real deal than our work-day cynicism and exhaustion? What if we were made for true, other worldly delight? 

Adventure well; Live fully.

HAK