I am going to do several posts over the next few weeks about Christmas. But it will be about last Christmas because, well, it was different. That's what I wanted.I've experienced many wonderful "Christmas Pasts". Most of them were when either I was a child or our children were still with us here at home. But last year was our first year without any of our children with us so I decided to take advantage of that and try to have a different one. A more spiritual one, if you please.
As the season went by I made a list of reasons why it was different or "requirements" to make it that way and it ended up being the following:
*No children at home.
*No responsibilities at church such as planning or helping with the Christmas program.
*No Christmas tree (Actually I was quite relieved to not have to put that up!) and minimal
Christmas decoration.
*Take a month's break from FB. (Definitely!)
*Minimal Christmas shopping.
*No visits to malls or the "big" downtown. Stay away from the hustle, noise and stress of the
commercial and secular Christmas. *Ask random people, "What does Christmas mean to you?"
*Give several Christmas tracts.
*Hunt for old and new Christmas music, preferably those which I had never heard.
*No (or minimal) listening to secular Christmas music.
*Concentrate on THE Christmas story, spend unhurried time thinking about the details of that.
*Regular and frequent Christmas devotional readings.
*Make "Christmas bread" to give to neighbors.
As I began the Christmas season, basically the month of December, I looked forward with anticipation to what the Lord had in store for me!
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
