Every Christmas, there's an anticipation of its coming. Then it flies by you before you know it.
Some years ago, I came to terms with the idea that perhaps Christmas is not a season for enjoyment or even for rest. Perhaps it's a season to sow seeds, to serve, to let people know about Jesus, our saviour. So it's ok to be busy and even to feel stressed.
While I still think so, I need to remind myself that it should still feel light, as Jesus' burden is always light.
Matt. 11 Verses 28 to 30
[28] Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
So how do we reconcile the two? How can we seize the chance to let people know about Jesus while at the same time not feel burdened?
I think perhaps we really need to take the "restful burden" for the rest of the year - i.e., we only take on Jesus' yoke, not the yoke that other people put on us or more often than not, I put on myself. Then I would perhaps feel the joy and the peace that Christmas brings more fully as it should.
I hope and will try to slow down in 2023, to best prepare for the next Christmas. It's not just about managing stress. It's living out the meaning of Christmas - that we are no longer bound by sins, by the need to justify ourselves through our achievements or our good deeds, because our almighty, flawless, righteous God has come down to bear our sins, to live our lives, to pay our debts.....so we live a blameless life as we accept the gift of Jesus. Thank you, Jesus!
As for this Christmas, God has quite a special plan for me and my family.
So this is the first trip that we take after COVID started in 2020. In fact, we had planned an elaborate family camping trip to Canada in 2020 - that got cancelled due to COVID. This time, we planned for a Whistler-Vancouver snowboarding trip with altogether 14 family members. Most of my family was going to fly on Dec 21 but there was an arctic blast that completely paralysed Vancouver airport and many flights were cancelled for 2-4 days. Who would have guessed that Vancouver would be shut down by snow!
Everyone was devastated by this news - the family trip that we have been looking forward to with 7 cousins gathering together. Jo was crying as she missed me (I flew out a week ago for work and was supposed to reunite at Vancouver) and was upset about the trip being cancelled. We were hoping that they could get on the plane 1-2 days later but no, it's delayed for 4 days!!! Utterly disappointing.
The usual me would just take it as part of life and thanking God that at least we weren't in any danger or stranded in the airport (I did see people lying on the ground in thermo bags). But as our small group has been studying Jonah, I thought I'll try doing what Jonah did - complaining to God. So I asked God "why?!!!". "Do we really need this, God?", "Seriously? Did I/my family not work hard enough?", "Is my trip not blessed because I go to play instead of serve during Christmas?"....I have the model answers to all of my questions but I really wanted to try asking God directly and praying to Him with passion so that He knows I do care about the disappointment of my family and I do believe that God has the power to bless us, regardless of the circumstances. "God, please let us see".
In the midst of all the chaos, we came to know that Jo and Kaz tested positive for COVID (after having cold symptoms for a few days). At first, we were thinking, "are you kidding me? Can it be any worse?!". Then I can see - I can finally see how God blessed us - if they had flown as planned, they would have been getting on the plane with full blown symptoms. That would not only be bad for the other passengers (and the rest of us), but also for themselves fighting COVID on the plane and afterwards. Now it's really the best - that they can fly having recovered, and with COVID anti-bodies to enjoy the trip even more, albeit a shortened one.
Jesus, you're really the prodigal God, who gives us gifts lavishly, one after another, over and over again, even though you have already given us yourself as the most precious gift, when you came down to us 2000+ years ago.
