Light of the World

Christmas is here! For many this is "the most wonderful time of the year," But what if it's not? How can you find "comfort and joy" in the midst of our earthly pain and sufferings?

Christmas is truly a magical season; the whimsical decorations, the familiarity of Christmas songs, the smell of fresh, warm, baked goods, the glow of twinkle lights and a dancing fireplace, watching Christmas movies, cozy pajamas, slowing down to cherish quality time with friends and family and of course, celebrating the birth of Jesus are the things that make the season so memorable and special!

You probably could have guessed that being "home for the holidays" is my most favorite place to be! There is a certain joy that comes with decorating my home for Christmas. A letters-to-Santa mailbox, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, nutcrackers, a snowy village, bottle brush trees, winter greenery and the star atop the Christmas tree are "a few of my favorite things" that "make the spirit bright!"

Of course, Christmas is about so much more than decorating! Holiday traditions enrich the season and are what I look forward to most! I live alone and my sister moved out for college, but we still go to our parents house every year to decorate their tree together. We pull handmade ornaments from our childhood out of a cardboard box and place them on our family tree. It's one of our holiday traditions and it always feels so nostalgic! Every year our family watches Elf, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and reruns of the Friends Christmas episodes together. We eat spaghetti and meatballs on Christmas Eve and we open presents on Christmas morning. Two of my very best friends have birthdays in December so for over a decade my friends have made it a priority to get together and celebrate December birthdays! What are some of your favorite holiday traditions?

For Christians like me, Christmas is much deeper than decorations, traditions and presents. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of our Savior! "But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord,” Luke 2:10-11. On Christmas morning we rejoice with Christian's around the world for the birth of Jesus!

For most people, Christmas truly is "the most wonderful time of the year!" But I know for plenty of people it's not. It can bring heartache, sadness, anger and grief. It can serve as a reminder of who's been lost, what's not to come, and the traditions that won't take place this year. Additionally, Christmas is going to look really different for a lot of people this year due to the global Corona virus pandemic. If you've lost someone or something that is going to change your holiday traditions this year, my heart aches for you.

For the most part I like to keep this space lighthearted and focused on the things that bring me joy within my home! But I think it's important to be transparent with your audience so they can relate to a real person with real feelings and emotions. At this time last year I was struggling in every sense of the word; mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally. It didn't have anything to do with Christmas or the holiday season but with the season of life I was in. This difficult season of life had already lasted for months and I honestly didn't see a way out anytime soon. Professionally, I was very unhappy and my work was literally hemorrhaging into my personal life. On this day last year I was scrolling through social media and a meme about the winter solstice caught my attention.

Have you heard of the Winter Solstice? It's today, December 21st. Maybe you've heard of it but don't really know it's significance. I never thought twice about it until I found myself in the darkest season of life I'd known. The Winter Solstice is characterized by the shortest day and the longest night of the year. The earth is at it's maximum tilt away from the sun. After tonight, the days get longer and the nights get shorter. From this point forward, the light will literally overpower the darkness. Why am I even brining this up? Because maybe you're in a season of life where you need to hear an encouraging word? The Winter Solstice totally foreshadows Christmas! The world was living in darkness and God whispered to us, "Hold on, the light is coming." John 8:12 says, "Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

It was at that very moment a year ago, reading about the Winter Solstice, that I decided to chase the light because I simply wasn't going to live in darkness anymore. As a Christian, the darkness of this world can be hard to navigate but the Lord will always light the way for those who believe. I had the power to change my circumstances I just had to see it through. It still took several months to completely resolve the season of life that I was in and that was okay. The light at the end of the tunnel was my hope and encouragement! I can happily say I am on the other side of that season of life now and I am a better person for that experience.

Whatever worldly circumstances you are facing this holiday season or in this season of life, I pray that you will feel the light coming today. I hope the joyful season of Christmas and our Savior will bless you and your family! Be encouraged and lifted, friends, as the darkness does not last forever! The light is finally here! Merry Christmas from my home to yours!