Sunday, December 20, 2015

My Tiny Christmas



"Thus says the Lord: 'You, Bethlehem -Ephrathah, too small to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me, One who is to be ruler in Israel; whose origin is from old, from ancient times.. . He shall stand firm and shepherd His flock by the strength of the Lord, in the majestic name of the Lord, His God; and they shall remain, for now, His greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth; He shall be Peace."  -- Michah 5: 1-4 A].


I have a very nostalgic view of Christmases past. My little town put up a lighted Christmas tree each year, near the Veterans' Park.  There was a Menorah, as well; and magically, on each successive night of Chanukah, another candle was lit.

We used to sing Christmas carols in the car, my family and I, as we went around town, running errands. We knew them all by heart.

We had a live Christmas tree in the house. When I entered the house, I could "smell Christmas!  It was intoxicating and mysterious and wonderful.

We trimmed the bottom of the tree to leave room for the stand and tree skirt. The extra branches lined the mantle, where we set up angel figurines, and choir girls and boys.

On Christmas Day, we went to church. Everyone in the congregation held a battery-powered candle as we sang Silent Light. I think pretty much everyone was in tears at that point.

Then, the whole family gathered at my grandparents' house -- aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents -- so many, we could barely fit around the table.

I knew this was a special dinner, because we had potatoes roasted with the meat, two kinds of fresh vegetables (two!) and dressing studded with sausage, chestnuts, apple and raisins. The dessert was set aflame, a task reserved for my stately grandfather. We dimmed the lights in the dining room, as we oohed and ahhed over the dancing blue flame!

Christmas today seems so much smaller. My grandparents and my parents are gone. My aunt and uncle retired down South. My cousins moved to a different region. My in-laws are gone. My nieces and nephews are out of university, grown and working.

Last Christmas and this Christmas, my husband, son and I will spend the day alone. That prospect could "kill" Christmas for me, if I let it!  How I mourn the BIG Christmases past! Is Christmas no longer as big and special as it used to be?

But then, I read and meditate upon this Scripture:   "Thus says the Lord, 'You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah, too small to be among the clans of Judah, from YOU shall come forth for me, One who is to be ruler in Israel,' "  Literally, Bethlehem-Ephrathah is too small to even be counted as a place of origin!

And yet, in this small place of Bethlehem, was born a tiny baby, laid in a grungy, rustic manger, his only birth attendants the sheep and cattle lowing. Not only was Jesus' birth humble and poor, it was downright dangerous; since King Herod was systemically murdering all first-born males in a mad search to eliminate the child who would be called King.

I remember, once, when my son was about four, he looked up to the Heavens and asked me, "WHY does God have to be so big?!" I answered straight away, 'Oh! But, God is also so very small!" I reminded him of this when my church put up the creche that year, and we peered through the glass at the tiny babe, Jesus.

And so, I am concluding that it is not only alright, but completely fitting, that my Christmas should be tiny. I want my Christmas to be filled with those tiny moments of Joy and Peace that only the birth of God's Son can convey

This year, I am watching "Elf" with my son, for the umpteenth time. I am praying more, reaching out in tiny moments, to my friend Jesus. I am absolutely glowing as the music from the Christmas concert at my church washes over me, like the soft balm of Peace.  I am sitting in total silence and awe, in the dark, simply gazing upon our Christmas tree.

I am drinking hot cocoa. Oh, the resonance of that first sip! I am baking cookies for neighbors who are too elderly to bake any longer. I am knitting hats and scarves for the homeless shelter, because everyone should get a gift for Christmas!

I am helping a friend from church wrap the poinsettia planters in foil and ribbons; and arrange the flowers for the Christmas altar.  What a joyous honor!

I am planning to awake on Christmas morning, fully relishing that special Christmas morning feeling. Not that selfish feeling of, "Okay, what did I get?"

No, that feeling that I am special because God was bold and generous enough to share His only Son with us; all so that we could learn how to love and be loved!

No, Christmas is NOT all about a gaudy splash of outrageous extravagance. As the Grinch said, "Christmas came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. . What if Christmas doesn't come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?"

And so, I wish you all a very Merry (tiny) Christmas! Full of tiny moments of Grace, Peace, Joy, Love and Wonder.

(c) Spiritual Devotional 2015. All Rights Reserved.








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