First: Merry Christmas!
I never make much of a thing about telling people what I believe. I have learnt that if you live what you believe then people really dont have an issue with you stating it because they already know that. Belief is more than just words, its an action too.
I am a Christian... I never make a big song and dance because I dont believe facts about me deserve songs and dances. I'm a Christian is like saying I have red hair... to me it is just something about me that is. I am not here to slam that into you in any way. Though if you want to talk about it... I will mention that no I do not dye my hair, and yes God does love you.
Regardless... I do celebrate Christmas for all the reasons a Christian should. Christs birth is so important in our history/story that when we look at it from the view of a Christian it makes very little sense to not celebrate it at some point. For me Christmas is a good reminder of the awesome things that God has done.
Yes, I know that Christmas was taken from a pagan holiday and "Christianified" and that best research places Christ's birth in the middle of April possibly, as well as the 'stable' or 'cave' as an actual house and not something outside of an inn. It is all well and good to argue these things, it really does not get us anywhere in particular however.
I believe Christmas celebration to be about the reminders of Christs birth. That God chose to come, to live among us and to join with us in living - joys, pains, and sorrows. To then sacrifice himself in the grand tapestry of eternity, that we might actually have the opportunity to know God and be with Him.
It is a reminder. A memory tick, a moment in time we take to ponder the reality of a God who stooped to our level. Who came for our sake. Christmas is best heard in the fore-shadow of the cross though, and it never was meant to end where we so often would prefer. It wasnt just the birth of a child that this promise was illustrated in but the entire life and death that was to come.
For me as well, Christmas is about fun. Having fun can be something we dont do often enough. Taking time to reconnect with that child-like joy that Christmas lights, and crackers, candles, silly hats, jokes and the like can bring. The whole Christmas stocking on Christmas morning thing is one of these for me. Now it is just me and my hubby but this is important to me - its a moment out of the ordinary, out of the stress of health, money and anxiety of living normally that brings us to open a cracker, or open a stocking and chuckle over silly gifts. Its not all about getting something either, its that silly joy i get knowing my hubby has no idea what I have bought him for Christmas, and the crazy joy i get knowing he will love it. Joy, fun, love, and laughter. Nothing better. Reminders of faith, hope and what drives us. Positively awesome.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
And so this is Christmas...
Or close to it. In fact we are going to have Christmas lunch with the in-laws on the weekend; so that makes it Christmas to me!
I am not going to go on a rant about how Christmas is Christian and has been taken over by secular.. no.. no I actually dont mind who celebrates Christmas. It is like inviting the entire street to your birthday bash, even if they don't know you. Basically, lets just remember the reasons for Christmas, and take it as it comes.
What makes this blog material...
I have been trying to fathom how to celebrate this year. See over the last 3 mths I have had sinus infection, ear infection, and migraines. Lets say I was feeling pretty woefully unwell. I spent a lot of time hiding in a dark corner or sleeping. Or sleeping in a dark corner. My husband did an awesome job of saying "Poor Jaki" at appropriate moments, (that is important you know). I had hoped for energy, enthusiasm and to get a large number of things done, made or changed around. Nothing of the kind. I am still battling migraines so nothing much is being done at all. In fact I do have a tree up, but not decorated. I have lights on my computer (literally usb powered little Christmas lights!) thanks to my Aunt (who gave them to me when they were here last year) and Google Chrome now has a Christmas theme but that is pretty much the limits of the energy.
The best thing however is listening to Christmas music. To hear the stories, to know the stories, and have that playing non-stop in the house is a blessing. So I haven't forgotten Christmas and it's real meaning, in the midst of being sick. I have not given up on the thought I will get stuff done but I am planning to take it easy. Just as well it does not snow in Australia at Christmas time, I wouldn't know what to do.
My present to myself this year is to cut myself some slack.
I have not made it to Church for a few weeks. I am determined to get there but I can' t go with a migraine and so it has not happened. As part of the Christmas-prezzie-to-me I am not going to feel bad about not getting there. I am just going to walk around knowing that God knows where I am and what I am doing and that my Church knows we are still here and have not given up on them!
I have lost weight this year, that's a good thing and I was trying to. I pat myself on my back for that.
In being sick, the biggest issues have been keeping up with university, and i managed to get a credit on the final assignment of the unit just gone so I am quite happy with that. I am also not behind (yet) on my current unit.
Lots of good things!
If you can only do one thing for yourself... then do this: don't think on the things you can't or haven't done, remember the year in the positives and not the negatives.
Merry Christmas!
I am not going to go on a rant about how Christmas is Christian and has been taken over by secular.. no.. no I actually dont mind who celebrates Christmas. It is like inviting the entire street to your birthday bash, even if they don't know you. Basically, lets just remember the reasons for Christmas, and take it as it comes.
What makes this blog material...
I have been trying to fathom how to celebrate this year. See over the last 3 mths I have had sinus infection, ear infection, and migraines. Lets say I was feeling pretty woefully unwell. I spent a lot of time hiding in a dark corner or sleeping. Or sleeping in a dark corner. My husband did an awesome job of saying "Poor Jaki" at appropriate moments, (that is important you know). I had hoped for energy, enthusiasm and to get a large number of things done, made or changed around. Nothing of the kind. I am still battling migraines so nothing much is being done at all. In fact I do have a tree up, but not decorated. I have lights on my computer (literally usb powered little Christmas lights!) thanks to my Aunt (who gave them to me when they were here last year) and Google Chrome now has a Christmas theme but that is pretty much the limits of the energy.
The best thing however is listening to Christmas music. To hear the stories, to know the stories, and have that playing non-stop in the house is a blessing. So I haven't forgotten Christmas and it's real meaning, in the midst of being sick. I have not given up on the thought I will get stuff done but I am planning to take it easy. Just as well it does not snow in Australia at Christmas time, I wouldn't know what to do.
My present to myself this year is to cut myself some slack.
I have not made it to Church for a few weeks. I am determined to get there but I can' t go with a migraine and so it has not happened. As part of the Christmas-prezzie-to-me I am not going to feel bad about not getting there. I am just going to walk around knowing that God knows where I am and what I am doing and that my Church knows we are still here and have not given up on them!
I have lost weight this year, that's a good thing and I was trying to. I pat myself on my back for that.
In being sick, the biggest issues have been keeping up with university, and i managed to get a credit on the final assignment of the unit just gone so I am quite happy with that. I am also not behind (yet) on my current unit.
Lots of good things!
If you can only do one thing for yourself... then do this: don't think on the things you can't or haven't done, remember the year in the positives and not the negatives.
Merry Christmas!
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