Making the holidays holy-days will make them happy days.
A Christmas at our home
When I pastored my first church in Phoenix, Arizona, I was 27 years old. Some well-meaning religious Scrooge gave me a book titled, “Mystery Babylon Mother of Harlots.” This book made just about everything we celebrate as Christians a heathen holiday. I got so into this book, that I questioned if we should have a Christmas tree in our house or church. I wanted to have a Nativity scene. Thank God for my wise dad who brought this young pastor back to my senses in time, so my family did not have to endure a Scrooge Christmas. Holy HUMBUG!
We all need Holidays and Happy occasions
However, your year has been, whatever you are experiencing today, let it go and enjoy this Holiday Season. This is the time of year to have fun and to be happy. Celebrating has become a lost art. Celebration, enjoyment, love, laughter, gifts, giving, trees, tinsel, holly, reindeer, carols and bells, pageantry, music, Enjoy ALL of IT!
Reasons for not enjoying the Holiday
Attitude: Scrooge had an attitude problem. Yesterday after church Janet and I stopped by a department store to pick up a few gifts. It was a pre-black Friday sale. When we were ready to pay, the line for the cash registers looked like a ride at Disneyland. I said, “OH! Holiday crowd already.” There I go, I had just preached on, “A Grateful Heart” and I was already starting to complain about the Holiday crowds. Attitude will affect our response to the Holidays more than anything else. The first step to enjoying the Holidays is to correct the crummy attitude.
Stingy: Some don’t like to give, it just cost too much. Have you ever heard this, “We are not going to give gifts this year.” Remember, the Father gave his Son. The Son gave his Life. Even the traditional Ol Saint Nicolas was a giver. Christmas is the great time to give a gift and show people you care. It doesn’t have to be expensive. I’ve seen the poorest people enjoy gift giving at Christmas.
Religious taboos: You have to hear it over and over every year, “Jesus was not born on December 25.” I resist religious superstitions which argue against almost every Christian holiday, calling it a pagan festival.
Ol Saint Nicolas: Our kids always went to see Santa. Here is a wonderful pictures of them on his lap. Janet and I have enjoyed taking all of our Grandchildren to see Santa. Even the tooth fairy comes to our house and our children always went trick or treating. I loved to go through the bags of candy.
The original derivation of our word Holiday is from Holy-day.
In the story of Nehemiah, after they had finished the walls around Jerusalem, Ezra the priest and scribe had read the Law of Moses to them. Then Nehemiah said, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.’ Then he said to them, ‘Go you way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:9-10,12).
Start your Holiday Season with a Wonderful Thanksgiving
Ahh! “Go for it! Have two desserts!” Celebration, enjoyment, love, laughter, gifts and giving, trees, tinsel, holly and reindeer, carols and bells, pageantry, music, enjoy ALL of IT.
I Mean ALL of IT!
Larry Neville – MondayMorning.Club
Check out my other blog at: Larryneville.com