That’s What Christmas Means to me My Love
Christmas has a different meaning for each one of us, depending on the life we’ve lived and the season of life we’re in when Christmas rolls around. The lense in which we view Christmas translates to what it means to us and how we celebrate or even grieve. To some people, it means heading to the Christmas tree farm to cut down a tree with their family or decorating an heirloom silver tinsel Christmas tree. It can also mean listening to Mariah Carey’s “All I want for Christmas is You” and hitting the high note. Some people might max out their credit cards to buy the best and newest gifts, while others struggle to pay their bills and are reminded of what they can’t buy for their family this season. Some people joyfully watch their children tear open presents by the tree, while others sit quietly and think of the child they lost and what present they may have wished for this year. Some are lucky enough to bake with their grandma and learn the recipe to the famous peanut butter fudge or baklava, while others are missing the grandparents they’ve lost. Some people volunteer their time serving dinner to the needy, and some people are in line being served a free meal with no idea where they might lay their head for the night. Some may find joy in the snowflakes falling from the sky or in the Christmas lights wrapped around a palm tree near the beach. Some families freely open the Bible Christmas morning and read the good news of the Christmas story, while in some areas of the world, people risk their lives daily by even having a Bible in their home. Some people have a naughty Elf on the Shelf causing trouble in the night and making sure kids behave. Some people have big holiday gatherings and games, while others FaceTime from a distance. Some moms decide to fight the crowds at the mall, while other moms have ten Amazon boxes stacked on their porch. Some people go on a Christmas vacation, while others might be sick in the hospital. Some people quote “Credit card, you got it!” from the great Home Alone, while others go for “I don’t know Margo!” from the classic Christmas Vacation.
The truth is, we can only see through our Christmas lense; however, we can try hard to remember that everyone else is looking through a different lense than we are. Everyone’s Christmas looks a little different, and for a good reason too. Let us be understanding. We don’t know what others might be going through this Christmas - the person that is missing from their dinner table, the job they just lost, the diagnosis they just received. Let us be kind and generous to each other. Whatever joy and love we have this Christmas season, whether it be a little or a lot, let us spread it to others. Let us smile at the person who just took the parking spot we wanted, buy groceries for the person ahead of us at the grocery store, donate money to missionaries overseas, hold the door for the person behind us - let us be a blessing to others. If we are able, let us do it!
If you’d like to be a blessing to LahSET, please consider donating to assist with future client’s services who need our help but cannot afford it.
Another option is to donate to Caleb and Dawn Christman who are missionaries in Delft, Netherlands. They planted a church, University Church Delft, on the campus of Delft University of Technology to reach college students for Jesus in 2022. Delft University of Technology has 18,000+ students from around the world.