Christmas Rush

Julie Reynolds of Snohomish, Washington, tells of one Advent season when all her young children came down with chicken pox. Everything planned was put on hold or forgotten altogether. They missed many church and community activities as well as get-togethers with family and friends.

But Julie discovered something during her forced hiatus. She had time to do things with her children. The children were well enough to engage in some family activities that the normal Christmas rush might have prevented.

She read Christmas stories to the children. The kids used blankets, walking sticks and other objects to reenact the story of the holy family traveling to Bethlehem. They had time together to discover the joy of family fellowship and to think seriously about the meaning of Christmas.

Julie recalled other Christmases when she had been so busy shopping, decorating, cooking and running about that she missed Jesus. She said, “I completely missed celebrating the joy of His birth in my own heart. And the emptiness I have felt at those times brought a sorrow and regret deep in my soul.”

No more! Now she deliberately schedules “open days” on her calendar, especially during Advent. They are days for waiting upon God, praying, listening and enjoying the peace of God. And they are days of truly being with her family, keeping the bond strong, and the relationships in good repair. Now, she recalls with gratitude the lesson she learned during that Advent years ago.