With Christmas approaching, many of us feel the stress of the holidays…presents to buy, parties to attend, cookies to bake, cards to write etc. I think I’ve been so busy with all these “fun” festivities that I’ve forgotten or pushed aside “the reason for the season”. Today at the community service party/end of term celebration, the skit reminded me of how Christmas is about Jesus. It’s about Jesus’ birthday and celebrating His birth! I think I would be angry if people did everything but celebrate my birthday, on my birthday. It occurred to me that Jesus wouldn’t want me to be stressing out about all the gifts I need to buy, about what outfit I should wear… I shouldn’t be dreading Christmas at all because Christmas is not about parties, cookies, cards and gifts. If you take away all those things, is it not still Christmas?

But maybe I’m just approaching all these things with a wrong minset…The get-togethers CAN be about merely socializing and talking about mindless things…but it can also be about celebrating God’s love with other people. Jesus is the reason for the season.

Today I got a bit of reality check. Most of the time I’m so preoccupied with my struggles (the whole “it’s all about me, me, me” thing) that I forget other people are hurting so much more. So I was talking to my student’s mother about school, going back to Waterloo. I found out that she also went to Waterloo and studied science. Well, I’m in AHS, but close enough…eventually we got to talking a bit about her personal life. She talked about how she recently separated from her husband and she’s basically raising 2 small kids (aged 3 and 6) on her own. I could sense her despair and pain… And when she started crying, all I could do was hug her…I told her that I was really glad that God had brought her to Jaffray and that God loves her so very much.

I pray that His love would overwhelm her…(maybe you could pray for her too?) I think about all the times I’ve cried out to the Lord and how he responded faithfully each time. I felt like crying out to God on her behalf (as weird as it sounds..)

1 Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer;
answer me, for I need your help.
2 Protect me, for I am devoted to you.
Save me, for I serve you and trust you.
You are my God.
3 Be merciful to me, O Lord,
for I am calling on you constantly.
4 Give me happiness, O Lord,
for I give myself to you.
5 O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive,
so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.
6 Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord;
hear my urgent cry.
7 I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble,
and you will answer me.
Psalm 86:1-7

He knows my name, he knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
And hears me when I call

Mm…

I really like the song “Christmas Shoes”…Here are the lyrics:

Newsong – The Christmas Shoes

It was almost Christmas time, there I stood in another line
Tryin’ to buy that last gift or two, not really in the Christmas mood
Standing right in front of me was a little boy waiting anxiously
Pacing ’round like little boys do
And in his hands he held a pair of shoes

His clothes were worn and old, he was dirty from head to toe
And when it came his time to pay
I couldn’t believe what I heard him say

Chorus:
Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there’s not much time
You see she’s been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight

He counted pennies for what seemed like years
Then the cashier said, “Son, there’s not enough here”
He searched his pockets frantically
Then he turned and he looked at me
He said Mama made Christmas good at our house
Though most years she just did without
Tell me Sir, what am I going to do,
Somehow I’ve got to buy her these Christmas shoes

So I laid the money down, I just had to help him out
I’ll never forget the look on his face when he said
Mama’s gonna look so great

Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there’s not much time
You see she’s been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight

Bridge:
I knew I’d caught a glimpse of heaven’s love
As he thanked me and ran out
I knew that God had sent that little boy
To remind me just what Christmas is all about