Hebrews 10:22-25
So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
Every year of our 39+-year marriage – except maybe two of them – we’ve decorated our house for Christmas. One year I had surgery right before Thanksgiving, and I don’t think we even put up a tree. Another year, we were moving, and everything was in boxes. But aside from that, I think we have put up at least a small tree and gotten out some lights and decorations every single year… even in years when we truly weren’t in the mood.
I can tell you… decorating for Christmas is a lot of work… especially at our house! (HUGE nod to Greg for carrying most of the heavy boxes and our big tree down the stairs!) But it is also an act of love… for each other and for others who will visit our home this holiday season. Call it a way of making ourselves “presentable inside and out”…because there is a whole lot more going on with Christmas decorating and festivities than putting up a tree and getting out some decorations.
My friend John Birdsong noted last night how he and his family had spent the day decorating… and reminiscing. Each decoration held some memory or personal meaning for them. His wife Belinda - a school teacher far longer than I was - hung ornaments she had been given by former students. They put out nativities that they had purchased when the kids were little. And they laughed and smiled and remembered the hows/wheres/whens of these precious mementos that warm their home and encourage love and goodwill. And we’ve been doing the same thing.
There are sweet memories attached to many of our pieces. And even some of the newer ones are taking on a special meaning. As I sat out an inexpensive wooden snowman yesterday, I remembered how Timothy has loved to play with it these last few Christmases. It was one of several decorations that I knew he couldn’t break and would enjoy, so I set them on a low shelf for him to reach. I hung plastic and non-breakable ornaments on a little fiber-optic tree that twinkles and blinks. I picked it up at an estate sale for a dollar… so it’s nothing special. But when I remember how it makes the children’s eyes dance with delight, that tree is worth 100 times what I paid - or more.
There are ornaments on our tree that my Mam-ma Polly made – her felt birds, quilted “pillows” made from Santa faces I cross-stitched the Christmas my grandparents’ house burned, and a crocheted “doily” ornament that holds a picture of my grandparents and my dad when he was about four or five. There are nativities I have collected over the years... several given to me by loved ones, and others purchased at estate sales of friends I knew and loved. There is the trunk that belonged to Greg’s grandfather… laden with Christmas needlework I have done, vintage Santas, and a little ceramic Christmas tree that twinkles in the corner. And before Christmas Eve, Greg will put out twinkling “reindeer” in the front yard… a gift to me one Christmas - now a promise to the children that the reindeer who “went back to the North Pole” would return again at Christmas time. He’ll also set out a large plywood Santa that his dad cut out for us more than two decades ago. We painted the features to create a replica of the Santa that stood in the Robus family’s yard when Greg was a child.
I could continue my description of holiday traditions that we will continue. We could also just say, “Forget it!” and not do them! But Christmas is the season of hope… and in that spirit, we decorate and celebrate all over again each year. As we enter into the days of Advent, hear this message…Christmas is not the end, but the beginning… the reminder many of us need to keep putting one foot ahead of the other and moving forward. We were given a tremendous gift when Jesus Christ was born. While the true meaning of His life on earth is revealed in the story of Easter and His resurrection…it starts with His birth. God’s gift of Jesus on that starry night represents the promise of eternal salvation. That’s enough to keep me going… wouldn’t you agree?
Moreover, we have an incredible opportunity in the coming days to practice demonstrating Christ’s love to others… being the “real deal” for Jesus inside and out…worshipping together… and being inventive as we encourage others and help them. Then we can spend the other eleven months of the year putting our “practice” to good use. Maybe… just maybe… we can keep a spirit of hope in Jesus Christ alive past our earthly “Big Day”! Because you see… this is not where the story ends… it’s where it begins. The ultimate BIG DAY still lies ahead… when we meet Jesus face-to-face and spend the rest of eternity with Him.
So let’s decorate… let’s celebrate… let’s encourage and assist and demonstrate Christ’s love with gusto! Let’s operate in hope on the inside and outside… and make it as natural to our lives as breathing. Pour a cup of hot cocoa or spiced tea…put on your Christmas music…and get busy spreading hope in Jesus Christ as you “decorate” your life for the BIG DAY! He is coming… will you be ready?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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