Why is it that holidays evoke such strong feelings? I guess it’s because everywhere you look and everything you hear seems to revolve around families being together. And then the memories from years past… holidays are difficult for many people.

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. I have many near-to-my-heart memories with John at Christmas. We always made a birthday cake for Jesus and had a special Bible time each night leading up to Christmas day in anticipation of celebrating His birth. Our favorite Christmas music began playing at home and in our car the day after Thanksgiving, and our favorite Christmas movie played as we decorated the tree. We always bought a new ornament that would represent something special from the current year. As we would hang all the ornaments from previous years, we would enjoy together the memories each ornament would bring to mind. So, so many memories.

But now…

As I reflect over the past few Christmases the reality is that John wasn’t at home with us. He was either not doing well enough to come home, or he was in a recovery program. So why is this Christmas so much harder? And I realize that before this year, there was always hope that “next Christmas” things would be better and John would be home. And now that hope is gone—gone with his physical death.

Oh I know we will see John again in Heaven. And I know John is celebrating Jesus’ birth in a way we can only imagine—in the very presence of God. But selfishly my heart is broken that John is not with us and will never again be with us in this life…. and I miss him oh so very much.

So as we continue to muddle through this holiday season, I am faced with things like:

…signing one less name on the cards and gift tags,

…realizing that all those special Christmas ornaments won’t be passed on to John,

…not being able to listen to our favorite Christmas music,

…not enjoying the season as I once did.

But the one thing I am doing this year is being so very thankful for what Christmas means. Because of Christmas, I have hope that our family will one day be reunited to celebrate together for all of eternity because of our faith in Jesus.

So my friends, this Christmas savor the time with family and friends, give good, long hugs, celebrate the hope we have in God through the tiny baby who was sent many years ago. Immanuel—God with us. Because God is with us, we have hope, and He will get us through.

“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).”

Matthew 1:21-23

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

Romans 15:13

 

Quoted scripture is from the ESV unless otherwise noted.