Christmas is here! It seems that Christmas slowly sneaks up on us and then rushes by too quickly. If you are like me, you spend the days right after Christmas reflecting on the good times and the things we wanted to do, should have done, meant to do, but somehow didn’t do. Like I said, it just seems to come and go so quickly.
Every Christmas, my wife and I carefully shop and do our best to make sure our boys have a great holiday. Even though so much attention these days are given to the gifts and the endless shopping, in the end, the gifts really aren’t a lasting memory. Sure, we all remember some of our great moments as children unwrapping our presents, but as I reflect on my past Christmas memories, the presents have but little value. In fact, the one present I remember the most, are the books that we opened to reveal several rolls of Five Flavored Life Saver candies that my grandmother gave to us every year. She always apologized that she didn’t have much to spend. I wonder if she ever knew how I looked forward to receiving that gift every year?
Going back as far as I can remember, which is farther than I would care to admit, my greatest Christmas moments were simply the time my family would spend together. My father, mother, brother, sister, and I just seemed to love each other a little more at Christmas. We usually shared the holiday with aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. The thing I liked least about Christmas was when it ended and life would go back to ‘normal.’
At a time when we want our children to build lasting memories, we need to remember our own past. Gifts are nice, but it’s not the gifts that will remain in their memories. The extra time you spend with them talking, listening, laughing, and playing will be permanently cemented in their memories. These are the things they will remember and the times they will revisit with their own children long after we are gone.
I want to encourage you this Christmas to dwell on the good things you have, not the things you lack. Don’t focus on relationships that have gone bad, but remember the times when they were good. Always know that someone is watching you, depending on you to help them build lasting memories of THIS Christmas. We can pick up our problems and disappointments after the holidays, they will be waiting on us. Perhaps after a few days of peace and joyful reflection of our many blessings, we will see our situations in a new way, and with new hope.
God Bless you all, Merry Christmas!
Pastor Rick King
Pastor Rick King's Blog 