Sunday, November 27, 2016

Christmas Contentment

Christmas!  When I was a child one of the first signs of Christmas was the arrival of the Sears catalog, full of amazing things!  I would take the catalog off by myself and page through the wonders.  I circled the things I wanted and even turned the page corner down if something really special was on that page.  I knew it was only dreaming and that was alright.  I knew I would not get anything from those pages.  I don’t remember wanting any of those things so passionately I could not live without it. 
            I do remember one year when I wanted something desperately and made sure my parents knew.  I was thirteen, in seventh grade.  “All of the girls” were wearing blazers and gray flannel stitched-down pleated skirts.  I thought I had to have one.  I was usually not wearing what was “in”, but this time I wanted to belong.  On Christmas morning I opened my packages and there was a beautiful cherry red blazer!  But alas, the next package did not hold a gray flannel stitched-down pleated skirt.  There was a knife-pleated red plaid skirt, beautiful, though itchy, but not what I had my heart set on.  I remember my mother saying she had searched all over for a gray skirt, but just couldn’t find one.  I’m sure my disappointment also disappointed my mother.
            Christmas is a time we sometimes concentrate on what we want to get.  The older I am the less it matters.  I have what I need and mostly what I want in terms of things. However, there is Santa Claus who will bring you what you want.  More importantly, your Amazon wish list will get you what you want. We cannot avoid that emphasis.
As I said, there are few material things I want, but there are things I want that are not found in a catalog. 
            The first thing I want is my son’s presence.  He is far, far away in New Zealand.  He is far away in many ways.  And, oh, I want him home!
             I want harmony in my family, the laughter and love that’s portrayed in all of those sappy Christmas movies that you can find on Netflix.
            I want time.  I want time with my family and time with friends and time to get everything done and time for .  . . .
            I don’t think any of those things are bad; they are even good.  But there are things that are far more important. Do I long for Jesus, for His presence?  Do I long to spend time with Him the way I long to have FaceTime with my sons?  Do I long to see Him as much as I long to see my daughters or my granddaughters?
             What should I want for this Christmas season?  I choose the advice of Hebrews 13:5, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.  For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you,’” I will focus on the only One will not disappoint, who can bring contentment. May my focus be on the Savior who is enough!

                                                                        Faith Himes Lamb

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