It Just Doesn't Feel Like Christmas

I don't know about you, but it hasn't felt like Christmas this year. I've been struggling to grasp on to the Christmas spirit, fa la la, silent night, deck the halls, and I got nothin'. No warm fuzzies, no desire to decorate or to listen to Christmas carols, much less sing them, and don't get me started on the shopping. I just don't think all that is what I should be focused on anyway.

Don't get me wrong, I don't feel like Scrooge. I don't hate Christmas or the people who celebrate it - I want to be one of them. I don't want to be stingy - I want to give and give and give. I'm not Scrooge.

And I don't feel like the Grinch. I don't want to steal Christmas from anyone. I want everyone to feel blessed and loved at Christmas. I'm not the Grinch.

I do kind of feel like Charlie Brown... searching for meaning in a time when there seems to be so many distractions. His opening lines really sounded like my own thoughts as I watched A Charlie Brown Christmas this year...

To Linus: "I think there must be something wrong with me, Linus. Christmas is coming, but I'm not happy. I don't feel the way I'm supposed to feel. I just don't understand Christmas, I guess. I like getting presents and sending Christmas cards and decorating trees and all that, but I'm still not happy. I always end up feeling depressed."

And later, to Lucy: "Actually, Lucy, my trouble is Christmas. I just don't understand it. Instead of feeling happy, I feel sort of let down."

The trees, the gifts, the food, the decorations - there's nothing wrong with these things. But they tend to get in the way of the reason we Celebrate. Somewhere along the way, we got God's priorities mixed up with our own. I'm pretty sure it happened in the garden. But a gracious, merciful God came up with a pretty bizarre plan to fix that.

Driving home today I heard a story that again, reminded me of me. All of the preparations are just getting to me. It's time to slow down, remember as Linus told us, what Christmas is about, and see Christmas through the eyes of God.

The poem, called "A Christmas Story", can be downloaded at the link below - either the text or the audio version.

“More blessed to give than to receive,
This is what My own should believe.
But give the gifts that I hold as treasure:
Love, joy, kindness…and in good measure.”

“Now remember these words at this time of year;
Don’t conform to this world and My voice you will hear.”

A Christmas Story

Just like Scrooge, the Grinch and Charlie Brown, I've had my attitude adjusted... I'm expecting great things from Him - and not worried about what anyone else thinks.