Life isn't all tinsel and puppies (unless you're thinking about when it's a tangled mess and peeing on the carpet).
Neither is Christmas.
Christmas Tree
As we move deeper into this holiday season, I'm reminded of the very real struggles out there. I know finances can be tight. I know interpersonal issues are real. I've experienced family members who reject "the Reason for the season," and I am all too familiar with the loneliness of these short days and cold nights. I, often, feel weary and burnt out. I know drama, hurt, dissatisfaction, guilt, stress, turmoil, pain, and transition.
I forget that this is precisely the story of Christ's birth. Consider:
- Thoughts of divorce (Matt. 1:18-19)
- Political unrest (Matt. 2:1-3)
- Midnight moves due to death threats (Matt. 2:13-14)
- Slaughter of children (Matt. 2:16-18)
This on top of... - Horrible travel logistics (Luke 2:4-7)
- And foreboding prophecy (Luke 2:34-35)
So what's with all this talk of Peace and Good News and Favor?
Christ.
He came to a world of very real turmoil, pain, and transition precisely so He could offer peace and healing and certainty. The story of His birth--indeed, His entire ministry--demonstrates that He can relate to us. He knows us and has experienced our struggles. And He is the answer. Not that following Him is going to be roses and bon-bons (Matt. 10:34ff). Life doesn't become easy when we follow Christ. Rather, we can walk in faith, hope, and love, finding strength in the joy the Lord provides.
I have recently been encouraged by re-reading some of your comments about how Sonlight has been a blessing through difficult seasons in your life. As amazing a privilege it is to work for Sonlight, the more I thought about turmoil, pain, and transition, the more I felt the need to point back to the One whose birth and death radically transformed the world through turmoil, pain, and transition... all while pointing to hope and joy and peace.
If Sonlight has been of any help to your family in the chaos of life, I sure wouldn't mind hearing about it <smile>. But far more than that, may you--no matter your circumstances--find peace in Christ this Christmas.
~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester
[…] years ago I shared some musings on how the Christmas story is one of turmoil and pain. I've been thinking about that more during morning prayer here at Sonlight. The prayer requests are […]
[...] because this season--associated with blessings of peace and merrymaking--can also be full of turmoil, loneliness, and a lack of motivation. And if you're feeling any of those things, remember: it's [...]
Thanks for sharing, KatieB. May these next years not only be a joy learning alongside your son, but also seeing how God continues to provide for you despite the loss.
TulipGirl, this is a great time to long for Christ. I'm still growing in learning how to even approach Advent. This is such a beautiful time of year.
~Luke
Beautiful.
My friend Kristen (http://www.thisclassicallife.com/weblog/) has been talking with me about her daughters grasping the longing/waiting part of Advent. . . the already/not yet. . . the longing for Christ's coming (in the incarnation, coming once again)... living in a broken world which needs Christ.
Thank you for reminding me of these things.
The recession has caused some significant pain in our family for sure. In fact, we lost every single material thing we worked for for the last 15 years! Well, not everything. We still have our family---who through homeschooling has remained close and supportive even in the darkest days of the last couple of years. Reading the moving literature from Core 300 and Core 400 has left us grounded in the fact that things could be worse. Much worse. Our daughter graduated this Sept 2011, but we still have a son in high school. He is always offering to go to public school----and thankfully so far it has not been necessary thanks to the fact that we own all the SL cores and they are so easily reusable! NO WAY could we handle him not getting the same awesome education his sister did---we'll do anything to homeschool him for his remaining 2 1/2 years.