In the beginning, Christmas was about Jesus, that’s why Christmas time was born, right? Because of Jesus and his identity as God’s son.
Ages later, Christmas time started to be something about feelings and spending time with the family: Being good, sharing, being friendly, generous, forgiveness and love. If someone wanted to remind others that is about Jesus Christ, it’s ok.
Nowadays? What I see around me it’s just people in a rush baking food, shopping presents and calling to all of those relatives whose they didn’t mind to ask the months before about them, but now they are invited for eating and drinking together and together making a great effort for being happy.
So, what does Christmas mean? You have to go, immediately, to the original source. Everything else might be an error. Maybe Jesus is the reason for the season.
It was a very long year. I’m looking back now to those memories I hold and I can assure you that there’re a few of them I wouldn't want to remember any longer but they come up to my mind from time to time because the lot of them are so difficult to forget.
It was a very long year. I’m looking back now to those memories I hold and I can assure you that there’re a few of them I wouldn't want to remember any longer but they come up to my mind from time to time because the lot of them are so difficult to forget.
Of course, now I behold with closed eyes quite good memories, too many times as I was being so thankful because of the peace of those moments, but I, too, see myself crying like a baby and begging God to give me strength.
Sure enough, I’m living this year a very different Christmas time, quite different than the last ones. I don’t feel like switch my Christmas tree or decorate my house, though I did it, maybe just because I do it every year, but these days I’m feeling other feelings and I let myself to be wrapped with them during my reflexions. I feel my thoughts warmer about being near to God, my need from him than all those twinkles and flickering lights on the streets. I’m in need, really and almost in an exhausting way, of the original Christmas, celebrating that my God was born and with Him, my faith, my joy and my hope. I felt those three words from the bottom of my heart this year, almost every single day.
I couldn’t say that nothing good happened in these 12 months. My family-in-law grew up happily, my own family came over, I had the most wonderful birthday I couldn’t imagine, my husband loved me upon everything and everybody, we got a job and too many other things. Now, you can ask me, why, then, do you seem so upset, or unhappy or concerned? Maybe because those sad moments were really sad and they are like a burden over my shoulders and bring out tears from my heart. But amongst all those feelings, every moment I lived, I felt my Father near to me, comforting me, talking to me, bringing me peace and safety. I felt care from Him and that gave me the strength to carry on.
I can’t help see certain hypocrisy around me from the people out there. How could you contemplate the whole Christmas traditions when you don’t have solved your problems with that friend, beloved or whoever? I thought that Christmas was a time to rejoin and forgiveness. How are you going to be friendly with a genuine feeling if you don't feel love for those people you gather with? How can you smile when you are really sad? Isn’t it Christmas a time of happiness and forgiveness? What does happen with those people who don’t respect this day with a break and they go on with their jobs? I thought that today was a day for spending time with the family. I also see amongst women certain competitions, as well, who has the best decorations or who bake the most delicious dinner. Always thinking about being better than anyone else. Pride. Always waiting for compliments when There’s Someone more important over there, on a forgotten corner in your house. Those ornaments which represent the birth of a Savior. Are we, really, forgotten the true meaning of Christmas? Christmas is not about you or your clothes, your hairstyle, your baking or whatever. Christmas exists because we’re supposed to be celebrating that special day when Jesus came to us. Go to the original meaning, if you’re not celebrating this, what are you supposed to be celebrating?
That is what Christmas means to me. A change. Christmas is my eternal reminder of why I'm here and where I must put my faith and safety. Christmas is throwing a party in my heart about that everlasting joy that gives me strength. Jesus never promised me that I would be free of problems, illness or being outcast. He promised me that he will be with me helping me, leading me, advising me till the day we are together. Christmas is not about material things, none of them and never was like that because is about Him, that's why someone invented this holiday. The world is changing and with it, everybody embrace more and more material things like those things are eternal, but nothing we can hold here is lasting and everything ends break or damage. So, be careful where you put your happiness with.
It’s like I was parched and nothing satisfied me but the water God gives to me.
I couldn’t say that nothing good happened in these 12 months. My family-in-law grew up happily, my own family came over, I had the most wonderful birthday I couldn’t imagine, my husband loved me upon everything and everybody, we got a job and too many other things. Now, you can ask me, why, then, do you seem so upset, or unhappy or concerned? Maybe because those sad moments were really sad and they are like a burden over my shoulders and bring out tears from my heart. But amongst all those feelings, every moment I lived, I felt my Father near to me, comforting me, talking to me, bringing me peace and safety. I felt care from Him and that gave me the strength to carry on. That is what Christmas means to me. A change. Christmas is my eternal reminder of why I'm here and where I must put my faith and safety. Christmas is throwing a party in my heart about that everlasting joy that gives me strength. Jesus never promised me that I would be free of problems, illness or being outcast. He promised me that he will be with me helping me, leading me, advising me till the day we are together. Christmas is not about material things, none of them and never was like that because is about Him, that's why someone invented this holiday. The world is changing and with it, everybody embrace more and more material things like those things are eternal, but nothing we can hold here is lasting and everything ends break or damage. So, be careful where you put your happiness with.
In spite of everything I've been through this year, I beheld the power of my God like nothing else, that God that is three in one, that is my God. Powerful and eternal. I needed him too much, sometimes more than food and more than breathe. I possess more than I need and my loving husband is always round me loving and enduring me. I don’t deserve that love, neither from him nor from Him. I don’t deserve that attention but even when the rest of the world is so entertained pretending to have a happy family... or no; and thinking that Christmas time is just lights, trimming the tree, shopping, getting drunk and gaining weight; even as the rest of the world thinks that Christmas time is just a time for being good (just for Christmas, of course) or doing good deeds, I will celebrate that my Savior was born and He will give me an infinite love, faith, joy and hope.
This is what let me sleep every night and what let me wake up every morning with hands filled with thankfulness.
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