It’s ten days until Christmas. There is still time to make it perfect or to construct a Christmas disaster. We are off to a better than average start this year. We spent a week up in Branson, Missouri. We went to a wonderful Christmas show, saw lots of Christmas lights and did some early Christmas shopping. Early shopping is not the norm for me. I am a Christmas eve shopper normally. For the first time in years, we have outdoor decorations. We have a lit family of deer, a charming street light, a bright toy soldier guarding our door, which we got for 1/2 price because he is wounded. We have a lit wreath on the front door. We have set aside the evenings of our grandkids’ Christmas programs on our calendar. I am scheduled to go to visit my death row friends at Angola on the Monday before Christmas. I’m looking for some gold, frankincense, and myrrh to bring. Rosemary has the menu for our Christmas brunch all planned out. We have pulled names and exchanged wish lists. We have this Christmas much more under control than is usual.
Deep down, however, I know that Christmas is not for us to plan. We are much better off sitting back and seeing what Jesus has in mind for us this year. For us, 2019 has been a remodeling year. With the help of a friend I literally remodelled a property and sold it, but that was just symbolic of the remodelling God is doing. A phase of my work life is coming to an end. Although there was a temporary detour, it’s obvious that God has something new for us in mind. We are considering downsizing our home. Both Rose and my health took a big hit. We have recuperated and are recuperating just fine, but with a new sense of the preciousness and fragility of life. Each day is now more valuable and more sinful to waste.
The first stage of remodeling is demolition. It’s when all the old stuff is ripped out. You rent a big dumpster and fill it up at least once. All the trash goes. There is a sense of both nostalgia and renewal. I feel that’s what going on for me on Christmas 2019. It’s not unlike the first Christmas. Mary and Joseph didn’t plan to give birth in a manger. They didn’t plan to shock their friends and family with an unplanned pregnancy. They also didn’t plan to raise the King of King and Lord of Lords.
Instead of trying to create the perfect Christmas in the next ten days, maybe we should be watching our flocks at night. Maybe we should be looking to the night sky and listening for the sounds of angels.
God is doing a remodeling. I pray the demolition is over and that the new thing is about to begin. For Christmas, what we can plan is very nice, but pales when compared to the glorious thing that God is going to do. Praying your Christmas is God-planned and completely glorious.
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