These words were originally posted a few years ago...
I've heard it before, said by people whom I respect but must "agree to
disagree" about the Christmas season. Friends who have chosen not to
celebrate Christmas or decorate or do anything special because after
all... it is most likely not the date of His birth, trees and lights and
"insert object" are pagan symbols, etc... and one must be spiritual
about these things, you know.
Really?
To me and mine, there is no better way in the universe to glorify our Lord then to sparkle.
When the Christmas tree (which by the way, we do not hold hands, surround the tree, and worship) is decorated and all nicely lit in these darkest days of the year... we are reminded of the Light of His coming... and we worship Him.
When candles are lit, glowing softly while cooking, or cleaning, or reading, or enjoying a cup of tea at the end of a long and dark day... we worship Him.
When we hear His name glorified in music all around us as we go about our day wrapping gifts and baking and shopping and driving and living our life... we worship Him.
We knead the bread dough, mix cookies, melt chocolate, bake pies, roast turkeys or ham or geese, assemble the side dishes served only at Christmas, call Mom to ask again how she makes gravy, contact Grandma for a forgotten recipe, and set the table with the finest of china... we worship Him.
We search all year for special gifts which tell another that we know their hearts and their desires and the bent in which God has made them and show heartfelt excitement as we open the children's gifts made with paper and glue, and ... we worship Him.
And even in homes and nations and places where He is not honored as Lord and coming King, they know this Day is different as across the world all of His people are thinking of that manger in Bethlehem... and we worship Him.
For all there are those who want to silence the reason for the Day, we think of Him as the music and the traditions and the movies and stories and the radio and the television and the stores and Main Street all come together to tell us there is something special about this time of year and whether they know it or not... it is Him.
It seems at times that the forest outside my house... with trees which are dark sculptures in the night... that very forest in its' silence and the moonlight on the snow and the animals slumbering where they cannot be seen... silently worship Him and await that time He makes all things new again.
The creche which is outlawed in the public square sits beside our doors, or on our mantels, or on a table where it can be seen and felt and... if made of the proper materials... touched by little hands. Or it is admired only from a distance if delicately assembled... and we worship Him.
And because of His first Advent and anticipating His second... we sparkle in the darkness of a fallen world... in this which C. S. Lewis called The Silent Planet.
Really?
To me and mine, there is no better way in the universe to glorify our Lord then to sparkle.
When the Christmas tree (which by the way, we do not hold hands, surround the tree, and worship) is decorated and all nicely lit in these darkest days of the year... we are reminded of the Light of His coming... and we worship Him.
When candles are lit, glowing softly while cooking, or cleaning, or reading, or enjoying a cup of tea at the end of a long and dark day... we worship Him.
When we hear His name glorified in music all around us as we go about our day wrapping gifts and baking and shopping and driving and living our life... we worship Him.
We knead the bread dough, mix cookies, melt chocolate, bake pies, roast turkeys or ham or geese, assemble the side dishes served only at Christmas, call Mom to ask again how she makes gravy, contact Grandma for a forgotten recipe, and set the table with the finest of china... we worship Him.
We search all year for special gifts which tell another that we know their hearts and their desires and the bent in which God has made them and show heartfelt excitement as we open the children's gifts made with paper and glue, and ... we worship Him.
And even in homes and nations and places where He is not honored as Lord and coming King, they know this Day is different as across the world all of His people are thinking of that manger in Bethlehem... and we worship Him.
For all there are those who want to silence the reason for the Day, we think of Him as the music and the traditions and the movies and stories and the radio and the television and the stores and Main Street all come together to tell us there is something special about this time of year and whether they know it or not... it is Him.
It seems at times that the forest outside my house... with trees which are dark sculptures in the night... that very forest in its' silence and the moonlight on the snow and the animals slumbering where they cannot be seen... silently worship Him and await that time He makes all things new again.
The creche which is outlawed in the public square sits beside our doors, or on our mantels, or on a table where it can be seen and felt and... if made of the proper materials... touched by little hands. Or it is admired only from a distance if delicately assembled... and we worship Him.
And because of His first Advent and anticipating His second... we sparkle in the darkness of a fallen world... in this which C. S. Lewis called The Silent Planet.
I love sparkle...
21 comments:
If I were a "foundling", I would like it very much if my family made a point to celebrate the fact that I was born though they knew not the day. Angela
We heard more stories today about this trend to ignore Christmas as a pagan holiday. The "current" trend in evangelical churches not to sing carols because songs sung in church must have meaning...What?! Have they not heard the words of the carols? Sounds as if a bunch of Puritans just landed. I agree in joining with the rest of the world to worship Him...I will not allow the unbelieving world to sing with more feeling than I do. There's a quote I am thinking of...a C.S. Lewis one...if I find it, I'll be back. We sparkle because we reflect Him!
Yes, I we love to sparkle here too!
Deanna
Thank you! So many of my friends have gone the no decoration, no presents route. Thank you!
Thank you... I love sparkle too!
Many blessings this Advent. Enjoy your tea this afternoon.
Hi Brenda;
You hit the nail on the head! Amen and Amen!! Merry CHRISTmas my friend to you and yours. Love and Blessings, Nana
THANK-YOU for posting this! Beautifully written! I Love Christmas because HE is the Reason for the season and HE is the reason we celebrate!
Blessings and Merry Christmas!
Laura C. from WA
Until the last couple of years, I had no idea that so many folks didn't celebrate Christmas. We certainly do around here...Christmas can sure be celebrated as a worship to Him rather than as the world celebrates. And that's the way we choose to do it...all for His glory.
Thank you Brenda! AMEN to everything you wrote.
Absolutely! Thank you for saying so.
After all, our faith is a kind of 'light in the darkness.'
What a beautiful post!!
Let's all sparkle for Jesus - Paul tells us to shine like stars in the darkness. YES!
Beautiful, beautiful words.
All praise and worship to Jesus who came to save us from our sins. . . . WE WORSHIP HIM.
Blessings, Sharon D.
Oh Brenda. I just have to say amen, amen and amen. What beautiful writing. Something you are so good at. Even in my church, carols are not sung, no celebration is made all with the notion that "this is not the true day". My answer is who cares..Worship him in any and all ways. I guess that is why I decorate so much with stars, angels,music and the many nativity scenes all around my house. Thank you Brenda.
A wonderful post! I love sparkle also!
I've not heard of this trend in my city (Vancouver, Canada) but I'm sure that when the Scriptures instruct us to 'adorn the gospel' it means to make the gospel attractive to others. Celebrating Christ's coming joyfully is a means of inviting others to enter into an understanding that this is indeed good news. I'm all for joining the angels - what a stunning celebration they had that first Christmas. I love to light my home, as they did the sky.
Amen, Sister!!
Visiting from Vee's...
I choose Sparkle, too.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Thanks for a " right on" post. It all has meaning. Yes to sparkle.
I have heard all of those points...and I extend grace to those who choose to celebrate differently. (Romans 14:5) But I, too, choose to sparkle! I want to be heard singing, "Joy to the world! The Lord has come!"
Brenda, I found your blog through Vee's. Thank you for such an encouraging reminder. God is good!
Gina
Why wouldn't we celebrate? God sent a chorus of singing angels to tell the shepherds of His birth. He spoke volumes to the whole world with the star in the east which the wise men followed to come and worship. There was great anticipation and celebration upon the birth of our Saviour. Why should we not do the same in proclaiming a Saviour has been born??!!
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