I stopped by to see my mother this morning, and talk naturally turned to Christmas now that Thanksgiving has come and gone. The opening gate of the Christmas race is upon us, although Halloween is vying for that position as we've seen Christmas decor in the stores for more than a month already. The powers-that-be know that we'll keep shopping until the closing bell at the midnight hour, no matter when the race begins.For many of us, Christmas has deeper meaning than shopping and gift-giving. For us, our thoughts can meander through the various facets of our cultural celebrations, and we can enjoy many of its colors. We hold tightly to the eternal and loosely to that which soon dims and fades.
For some, though, the giving of gifts can easily become a burden. I was saddened to hear of my mother's dread of going through the season once again. And yet, I can understand how overwhelming it is to her as she thinks about the physical aspect of shopping itself. She has difficulty getting around these days and tires easily. I encouraged her to shop online, but she doesn't like to use the Internet. She's also easily overwhelmed when thinking about what to purchase for those she loves.
As I've considered how I may be able to help her work through some of the hindrances to her Christmas joy, this may be a gift I can give her. Perhaps a shopping trip next week will do her some good. The sooner the gifts are gathered, the sooner she can relax her mind and reflect upon the aspects of Christmas that do bring her joy--rejoicing in the birth of our Savior and Friend. He is the only One who can bring us joy. I pray that her celebrations will soon take a turn toward true joy.
Scrooginess can easily set in if we aren't alert to it. So for us, dear one, let us continue to look for the true joy in Christmas. He is there.
Painting ~ Walk In, John George Brown 1831-1913
Wiki Art public domain
