Christmas Joy

CHRISTMAS JOY

As we face this season with all of our hopes, woes, and realities, may the reason for the season continue to hold our minds and attention. May the lack of things (money, toys, gifts, and other hoped for items) not steal our joy or hold us hostage in our feelings. May laughter, joy, and hope for tomorrow bring us peace and satisfaction with our today so that we are able to enjoy this moment and the gift of life.

I understand full well not having for Christmas since I have had, and I have not had. My childhood Christmas were NOT filled with things. My first Christmas as an adult was spent in Queenstown Apartments with no furniture, no money, a husband and a small baby. THANK GOD for my Mother. Being the wise woman that she was, she knew that Christmas would be shallow for us. So, what did she do? She baked cakes, cookies and pies, and shipped them early enough for them to arrive for Christmas. She also shipped from Screven, Georgia, toys and presents for all of us. OH WHAT A CHRISTMAS THAT WAS!

Jumping forward a few years, Christmas grew by leaps and bounds. Christmas grew so big that we did not have room in our living room to open all of the presents. We went all the way. If the children wanted it, they had it. Christmas was lavish.

Mother died twenty-one years ago, and Christmas changed. She died November 29 and was buried in Screven, Georgia on December 6, 1993. No one felt like having Christmas in my house, and I was in no shape to make it a happy one. Christmas went downhill from that year forward. Yes, we had Christmas. Ate Christmas dinner. Visited with each other, and moved through all of the motions. My children started celebrating Christmas at their homes following the earlier tradition. Big, lavish, and plenty of food and drinks. Money was never enough, but it was not an issue because everyone had pretty good jobs.

The last two years, Christmas joy has been returning to my life. I made peace with Mother's passing. Years ago, I made peace with the fact that my children were married, and had loving families on both sides and every Thanksgiving and Christmas could not be spent with me. Yes, we had to rotate holidays and families and where we would spend each holiday, but I adjusted, and life moved on.

This year, I started thinking about Christmas in November, and thought I was ready to bake and cook, and celebrate like the old times. Then life walked through the door. From my car to my oven, life had a feeding frenzy, and I guess it was God's way of reminding of the reason for the season.

This morning, I am up and moving around. Planning my day in small bursts of energy. Got baking to do. Got shopping to do. Got grandchildren to make happy during this holiday season. Got the opportunity to be thankful for all that I have, and it isn’t because of my money! I have a family that loves me. I have a roof over my head, and at the moment most bills are paid because I have light and I have heat. There is food in the kitchen, that’s right the oven is working, and ready for use. None of my peeps are in the hospital or the morgue. Health, including my eyes is fairly good. Maybe Christmas is not what it used to be, but it means a whole lot more to me now than it did back then. Maybe the season is marred by how it started, and how it has become so commercialized, but the birth of Jesus gave us all hope for a better tomorrow no matter where we find ourselves today.

So, If you do not have what you want for Christmas or feeling bad as you remember how much you “use to” have for Christmas, I ask that you pause for a moment in your thoughts, and remind yourself that December 25 is just one of the 365 that God has spared your life. Remember that He spared your life for a reason, even though you have been here for a number of seasons. Remember that should He spare your life another 365 days you will have the opportunity to celebrate again this holiday season.

The wonderful thing about life is that, if you are allowed to keep on living, you will have more opportunities. With opportunity you can either do better or worse. The choice is up to you with the decisions you make. For some, a million dollars is nothing. To another one hundred dollars is riches beyond compare. The beauty of all of this is that YOU get to choose. Is YOUR GLASS HALF FULL or is it HALF EMPTY!

Is this one of your best Christmases ever or is it the worse one you have ever had? The choice is all yours!

MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone. This is one of my best Christmases yet. I am happy. I am at peace. I am in love with every one of you. Solomon Burke sings one of my favorite Christmas songs, “Presents for Christmas,” and in it he says that he is big enough to be the world biggest Santa Claus, and if he had but one wish, he would wish a merry Christmas for every little girl and boy, and that he would give out presents to everyone. He expresses my sentiments exactly!

Peace and blessings always.

CHRISTMAS PRESENTS FOR EVERYONE!