Some thoughts on Christmas...

A few things have happened in my life recently that inspired me to write this post. They are not major things, but perhaps little things that have added up. Let me try to explain some of my thoughts and see if you can make sense of it.

First, Aaron's pre-school class is making a play of the First Christmas. Aaron is the Innkeeper. I'm looking forward to seeing this play, actually it should be quite cute. An idea came in my head of what the Second Christmas might have looked like. Honestly I don't really know if there was an actual Second Christmas the year after Jesus was born or not. Regardless, I thought what if the Second Christmas looked like a 2007 Christmas, you know stores decorated the day after Halloween, people rushing around trying to find the perfect gift, office parties, Santa Claus and all the other things that go along with Christmas these days. Basically almost forgetting what the First Christmas was all about. Even the idea of gifts was not part of the First Christmas, as the wise men arrived 3 months or so after Jesus was born.

The second thing that happened was our sister in law Sara was watching Oprah yesterday(I didn't catch it), but it was about people who suddenly pass away and then the question is asked...if you had one more day to spend with someone, who would it be?? She was prompted to write her friends and family and tell them she loved them. I really appreciated her writing this, because we often don't tell our friends and family how much we love and appreciate them. In reading her email, I was wondering how many more days do I have or do you have on Earth, we don't know?

So, I was tying these two points together and thinking of how even in one of Christianity's biggest holidays the idea of Jesus, a Saviour to the world being born, is almost an afterthought. This is not a new idea, people saying things like keep 'Christ' in Christmas etc., but things don't seem to be changing, perhaps getting worse as everything has to be politically correct these days and the idea that 'you can believe what you want and I'll believe I want' and 'let's not step on anyone's toes.'

But what if you were to suddenly die? Where would you go? If you believe in Heaven, what will you say at the gates that should let you in?

It would be nice to say we were all good enough to get in, but unfortunately then what would be the point of us living on earth, when we'd all get to Heaven anyway? And how can you measure good versus bad, when we have good and bad thoughts and actions everyday? Hoping the good outweighs the bad, is still a gamble. I believe they will be asking you, where does your hope lie? Is it in yourself, your family or is it in Jesus Christ the one born in a lowly manger and ultimately died for you? And does your life reflect what you believe?

I know these are some tough questions, but I feel convicted to write this and it seems like these things are 'taboo' to talk about much these days, but if one of you were to suddenly die, I'd feel regret in not sharing this message.

I hope this is not to much of a 'downer', because there is a God out there that loves you, even if you don't feel it and we are open to talk about any questions, doubts and struggles you might have, you'd probably be surprised to find out we struggle with a lot of the same things.

And this Christmas, may you hear the small voice speaking about the First Christmas and why we celebrate Christmas.

If you made it this far, thanks for 'listening'.