Christmas

Our townhouse development has about 100 residences.  Like other developments this time of year many of the homes are adorned with Christmas decorations.

Several of our neighbors have replaced the everyday white light bulbs in the lights on their garages with one red and one green light.  Others have strung lights in trees, around the garage and over the entryway.

Last year Becky noticed that one of our neighbors had nothing up when she left the house in the morning, but their home and yard were elaborately decorated when she returned that evening.  It was beautiful.  I had to tell her that I had seen the truck of professionals pull up to do the job.  The same truck was there this year!

              

One of our neighbors is into inflatable yard art.  He has a Halloween piece, which is replaced by a turkey, which is replaced on Thanksgiving Day by a Frosty the Snowman.              

One home has a string of over-sized Christmas tree lights stuck in the ground bordering a patch of land where they plant flowers for the summer. 

Everyone seems to get into the Christmas spirit and whether they are purposeful about it or not, they are using the symbols that the bible uses to describe Jesus’ birth:

               “The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.  The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.”  John 1:5,9

              

However, there are some houses that have no decorations and no lights.  They are dark in many ways.  The man four doors down died this summer of a sudden heart attack.  His wife was overcome with grief.  She went back to her home country and their townhouse sits empty and dark, a monument to mourning.

              

The woman across the street has hung no décor.  She is fighting a battle against cancer, but has decided to take no treatments.  The disease will run its course and eventually kill her.  When Becky talks to her she always comes home filled with a sense of sadness.

              

There are stories in every home, well lit or dark, decorated, or left unadorned. 

My prayer is that “The Story” of the season, Emmanuel, God with Us, will visit every home and make Himself known in real and practical ways. 

I pray that “the true light that gives light to every man”, will break into whatever darkness people may be experiencing; illness, grief, anxiety, unemployment, estrangement, sadness, loneliness, or hopelessness. 

I pray that God will use worship services, special events, family gatherings, informal conversations, and people being present with other people, to draw people closer to him and to give life meaning.

And if God so chooses, may He use us!

May God bless us, everyone!

Merry Christmas!
~Rev