This evening I was asked to speak at a PW (Presbyterian Women's) Meeting and give an epilogue after their Christmas craft night. It was a short speech but I wanted to share what I said on here. The Lord has taught me a lot this last year and he is continuing to do so this Christmas season. I've edited it a bit for this blog since I won't need to introduce myself and what not but here's what I feel that Christmas has become to me!
I was asked to talk about "What Christmas Means to Me." I think I would have answered this question very differently if I were asked this even a year ago. I grew up experiencing Christmas much like anyone else. I was excited for the time off of school, for decorating the tree, eating way too much candy, singing silent night by candle light at our evening service, and hearing my usually quiet and reserved father read the biblical account of the birth of Christ before we partook in our evening meal. That's what Christmas has always meant to me.
The older I get the less I focus on the one day of Christmas, although I don't want to diminish its importance, but the whole Christmas season brings me such joy. As I said that even last year I may have answered this differently. This last year has been a whirlwind for Harrison and I. In June 2015, we moved from San Diego, which had been our home for 3 years and left my teaching job to move back to Birmingham where we worked endlessly to save money for our big move over here. Then in February of this year we made the move here to Northern Ireland. We've been settling in since then, but not without trial, even small cultural differences can take a toll on you after awhile. Yes there are the major differences such as currency or linguistics, or even your roads, but every day is a school day for us even having light switches that are upside down or learning to eat with my fork in my left hand and not my right!
However, the other day as I walked through Belfast and saw them decorating the streets, city hall, and setting up for the Christmas Market, I felt myself unwind a bit. I thought to myself what a beautiful universal truth is that of Christmas. At that moment I realized that Christmas means three Rs to me. That is Reset, Refocus, and Reflect. A good 3 point sermon. More so than New Years Day isn't Christmas the yearly event that sends us back to basics? Isn't there a sense of renewal that we all feel coming out of the Christmas season. Seeing the festivities and the vibe around the city reminded me of the basics which is God. Christianity is universal so naturally the holiday celebrating Jesus' birth will universally unites us and reset us.
This leads to the second R, that is refocus. Sometimes we have good years, some times we have trying years, but once a year we are reset and have an opportunity to refocus as we head into the next year. I have felt this in my life since seeing the Christmas decoration go up. Harrison and I have had both a good and trying year, but this season has helped us refocus on our mission of serving Christ and not letting small silly things weigh us down. It is a time to refocus our lives on God.
The third R, reflect, will take a little back story. A few weeks ago, my mother-in-law sent us Christmas ornaments, since most of our belongings including our Christmas decorations are in storage in Alabama. These were not your usual ornaments though, each one was a picture of one of our family members or close friends. We also have a pet rabbit we had to leave behind with my mother-in-law so of course there was an ornament with him on it as well and it has become the star of our tree! It's a very quirky looking tree but also the most perfect tree. I look at it and see my parents who have taught me about marriage, our good friends the Dossett's who have taught me about Christian hospitality, my sister-in-law who has taught me about what it means to be a hard worker. This list could go on and on. Each face helps me reflect on the person I have become and the person I want to be. I want the faith of my grandfather and the love for all people that my mother-in-law possesses. These faces have helped me reflect but also refocus as I grow and strive to mirror those that I love. I encourage you to look around your table this Christmas at your family and friends and think about what they've taught you and what you will spend this next year learning from them.
So to wrap up answering the question "What does Christmas mean to me" It is simply this. It is Christ. It is the yearly event that by the grace of God forces me to reset and refocus my relationship with Him and with others. What a wonderful gift! May you feel a sense of renewal and refocusing this Christmas season in your walk with Christ and fully appreciate those that have poured so much love and attention into helping you become who you are. Merry Christmas and may you have a refreshed and refocused new year!
