There’s a growing cry about the Christmas season starting before Thanksgiving as if there is no connection between the two holidays. How do you feel? Are we finally moving toward living out the sacrificial love of Christmas all year round or are we only trivializing and desensitizing ourselves to the meaning of the gifts and gift giving?
It almost seems fitting for the Christmas season to unofficially start on our All Saint’s day even if the commercial world promoting this is motivated by other agendas. Because we feel the push of others to set our calendar and giving ideas, we can resent the pressures of escalating expectations and our loss of time and control. We can feel like we have to take back and hold onto Christmas to save it.
Stewardship offers another way to appreciate what is happening. We celebrate with joy, not fear. We celebrate with peace, not stress. We celebrate Jesus, not one day of the year.
So many people say, “I can’t wait for Christmas to be over.” Others, “I can’t wait for Christmas to begin.” But I can’t wait for Thanksgiving to be a continuous part of Christmas. I can’t wait for us to stop fighting about the timing of the celebration and just celebrate God. I can’t wait for us to start inviting those who are so eager to have the superficial part of Christmas to accept the gift of so much more in Jesus.
Stewardship is in part about saving and giving. We don’t have to “save Christmas” and keep to ourselves; we give it to others and share why. We don’t have to worry about others trying to take our time and money and holiday if we constantly ask God to be in control of our lives.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holy-days! May we give Christmas joy to those who need it most and share Christmas spirit all year long. God bless!
Faithfully in love and service,
Phyllis Bowers
Terri Cartwright
Bill Fordney
Dolly A. Marzullo
Bonnie Young
