Peace In Our Christmas

 The race is on.  It was only a couple of days ago that the USA started the race to Christmas.  They call it, Black Friday.  Recognizing a ‘good thing’, Canada is now getting in the gameas well. We now have what we call, ‘Black Weekend’. If the tally tells the story, many people are joining in the race. It is a game isn’t it?

Years ago, too many to count, I remember the saying going around that we needed to 'get in the game'. Or in this case, get in the race.  This is the race to Christmas. Or is it? People rushing here and there, having to do this and that, as if motivated by unknown forces that never work this way any other time of the year.

I heard one commercial lately that sounds like something a guy came up with.  He extoled the virtues of coming to just one store. He said, “Come into our store, _____, and in less time than you can imagine, you can get all your shopping done and spend the rest of December enjoying the season”. Sounds like a plan to me.  There is only one catch. That store doesn’t have all the things that are on my list, and no, it was not Walmart.

Yes, the race to Christmas. Gifts and presents for each and everyone. Then on to wrapping and ribbon and labels that do not fall off. You can't forget the decorations up in the attic. You can then get into the kitchen and bake the cookies and Christmas cake. After which there is the, and, and, and, and of course, the tree. Can't forget the tree. All of this means a lot of trips to the shops to purchase all the items you can’t seem to find to finish the decorating, baking and. . . You can relate, I know you can.

My question is simple. Is this what getting ready for Christmas is all about? When I read all about Advent I read about quiet personal reflection, fasting and prayers. Does that sound like the race is on? It should be more about reflecting about being ready for Jesus to come. Come into our lives, into our Christmas and into our world.  After all I believe we are not in a race.  Yes, we are the human race but that has nothing to do with speed and traction as we rush from one store to the next on icy roads. This next Sunday at church is our Sunday wrapped in the concept of Peace. Peace in our world and especially peace in our lives.

My mother and I used to go out shopping on Christmas Eve Day. Took the bus downtown and just walked around picking up last minute things. No agenda, just a special time together. But more than this, there were two things we did on those days, First, we leisurely made the rounds of those long forgotten stores, Zellers, Kresges, The Right House, Eaton’s, Simpson’s, Robinson’s. Secondly, while we took our time as we watched people. I sometimes still do that. Just like those long ago days, I find myself remembering walking with mom and I smile as we did then at the last minute shoppers in too much of a hurry because they forgot to get a gift for Aunt Phyllis.  

This concept about Peace at Christmas came home to me when a non-Christmas verse came to mind this past Sunday afternoon. You see, we came home from church to just relax. No tv, no commercials, no phone ringing and definitely no trips to this store or that. Here are those precious word we find in Psalm 46:10.  “Be still and know that I am God.”  Yes, they are the words David wrote as he sat quietly in the presence of God.

How about you? Is this something you need as part of your December?

Something to think about.

Rob