I love Christmas – real Christmas. I love the depth of the stories about the great faith of Mary and Joseph. the decisions made and the odds that were against them. After all, while the secular world laughs and giggles and carries on about giving and – to be honest, mostly getting gifts as the center of the holiday, we who follow Jesus consider the inherent sadness of this important story. We think about Jesus and His family and the constant danger they were in. We read the stories and recognize how much the world has not changed. We have Advent, which is really about Mary and Joseph. It helps us remember just how hard life was then, and that our Christmas hasn’t started yet. For the secular world, Christmas will be over in 11 days. For followers of Jesus, it will just be starting.
But Blue Christmas isn’t about that; it’s about remembering those who are no longer with us. Every year I find it harder to decorate the Christmas tree. We have a pattern; the first ornaments we got are the first to be placed. The ones with our children’s pictures or that celebrate their milestones go next. We remember the people who gave each one to us; the Hummels my mom gave us – the gifts from other family and church members and friends – the vacation ornaments from faraway places like Florida and Delaware. Decorating the tree is a journey into the past, and every year, we are forced to recognize how many of those people are gone. Gone, but not forgotten.
We remember my first tree that was right out of Charlie Brown’s Christmas. Those silly ornaments we made in churches I have served. The memory of hearing “O Holy Night” every year as we waited to see if the singer could hit that really high note at the end. We have all experienced losses in our lives, and those memories, sad as they are, remain. And that’s a good thing. I would rather tear up in my remembering than not have those people to remember. We tend to not think much about death because it is a downer, but I have no fear of it. I believe in an afterlife, even though I have no idea what it will be like. Regardless of that, I will think about the Apostle Paul who, when asked about what kind of body we will have in heaven, tells the reader to stop asking foolish questions and know that we will be like Jesus (1 Cor. 15). In other words, Paul didn’t know either. Just believe it will be okay.
So, when those sad thoughts creep in and crawl out, I embrace them, remember, and move on. When the joy happens, I celebrate it and give thanks. Don’t worry if you get blue this time of year because we are in good company. Don’t let it control you either; there is plenty to be happy about. That is how life is – joyful and sad, sometimes at the same time. Life is good.
Prayer – Thank You God for this season of preparation and the season of new life to come. Keep us connected to each other and to you as we learn about generosity and love once more. Amen.
Today’s art is by Reuven Ruben.