Where Are You Christmas?

By John Stallings



I find myself with just a bit of time tonight {It's after midnight } so here are a few musings.

This year, Faith Hill’s song “Where are you Christmas” jumped up on my radar screen. The song, a deeply probing one, deals with the thought that over the years we tend to lose Christmas at least the emotions we had about it in other years.

It seems for many who are over thirty, Christmas is an elusive feeling, one that we've lost and have had a hard time relocating. I’m not sure when I misplaced it but it’s been several years ago. When I was younger, Christmas was a time of joy and hope, family and friends, a season of stillness in an often too chaotic world. Now, however, it seems to simply come and go without much impact upon my life or spirit. I understand the “Christmas Spirit,” cannot be forced and that feelings shouldn't be manipulated but the intangible-ness of a warmed heart, intimacy for those we love, a sense of home and family have left me feeling empty and cold during a time when I desire the opposite.

I wish I could put my finger on the reason for my inability to capture the essence of Christmas in my soul. Perhaps it has to do with the reality that in the last few months I've lost several old friends. These were men with whom I went to college, with whom I traveled the country.

 Also, maybe it’s the fact that over the years I've lost loved ones to death who literally made Christmas for me. They gave gifts, baked seasonal goodies, and brought love and laughter at this special time of year. The people who surround me now, including my wife Juda and many old and cherished friends, are more than I could hope for or deserve. But I'm just saying.

 Here I am, sharing with many others the fact that the responsibilities as well as the realities of life have somehow “stolen” what we once felt in this season. Hence the song “Where are you Christmas.”

Here’s some good news.

The thing that always thrills me is that, and I know I share this with millions- I’ve always had at my core the reality that JESUS is the reason we celebrate Christmas. To point out the obvious, Christmas is an extremely important historical event. Even atheists have to acknowledge that Jesus lived and that his birth split history in two. More toys, turkeys,and trees are sold in  Jesus' name than any other name. No other world Icon ever had this nor will anyone but Jesus ever have it.

You and I can relax and rejoice in the knowledge that in his birth, Jesus started the train of events that would culminate in his death on the Cross and his ascension. If you’re like me you don’t need any gifts this year other than the knowledge that Jesus is real.

In the absence of other emotions, we can take pleasure in the fact that Jesus came, he lived and died and ascended back to heaven and soon will return to take us, his Bride to our long home.

There’s a popular axiom that says, “A baby changes everything.” Many of us can attest to that. But more real is this truth; the baby Jesus changed everything.”

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Blessings,

John