Merry Christmas

I'm sitting alone in my office trying to wrap my mind around the fact that it's Christmas Eve. The calendar says it's a fact, but my heart refuses to believe it. Sure there are lights around campus, but today seems just like any other day. Where is the Christmas tree and its scent? Where are the ornaments? Where is my family? Where are the Christmas cookies, fudge, and eggnog? Where is the fire in the stove and the faint smell of wood burning throughout the house? Where is the sound of cards shuffling as the epic bridge games begin? Where are the delicious aromas of Mom's roasts and pies wafting in from the kitchen? Where is the laughter as we poke fun at each other? Where are the footsteps and giggles from my niece? Where is the wreath on the front door? Where is the togetherness?

I miss all of this and much more. I don't think I've been homesick at all since I've come to Korea, but I think I'm there as Christmas arrives. Don't get me wrong, the foreign faculty are getting together tomorrow and it'll be a wonderful time with this loving community, but it won't be the same. My Christmas will be different this year.

But then I stop and remind myself that Christmas isn't about me. It's not even about my family or friends. Christmas, the celebration of Christ's birth. The old saying is that "Jesus is the reason for the season." Sure, we say that, but how often do we get caught up in everything about our "version" or "picture" of what Christmas should be (perhaps, *shudder*, something like Thomas Kinkade might picture Christmas as?), that we really miss what we are supposed to be celebrating? We might even go to such elaborate lengths as going to church for the candlelight service (is that just another warm memory too?) and listening to a Christmas morning sermon. But is that really getting the message through? Or is it like we so often regulate church to on Sunday; an hour or two of a service so we can enjoy the rest of our day off? Now the point isn't that we go to church more or anything of that sort, as that would make it even more of a duty or obligation which would unfortunately take celebration out of Christmas. I'm not trying to be a Scrooge about Christmas traditions either. The point is that we really think about and remember God's gift to us. We should integrate this into our family traditions and celebrations. Often I think we do this already, but it's nice to be reminded of it. We should not only celebrate Jesus' "making himself nothing"(Philippians 2) for us around Christmas either, but every single day. We should not have to be reminded of this, but how easily we forget! We neglect God's love as if it was trivial, as if it didn't make a difference. Help us Father to not neglect or get distracted from what should be the real focus of this holiday. Let us truly know what we are celebrating on this day.

May you have a merry Christmas as you remember God's love to us.