Reflecting on My Life at Christmas

If you have been following along, you know that one of my favorite places to be is on my back deck facing the trees. It is a special place, and I often find rest and reflect on my life there.

However, it is not always practical for me to be outside, even here in Georgia. When such is the case, my go-to place is the dining room table in the wee hours of the morning, long before anyone has stirred or even thought about needing anything from Mom.

Morning Time

Ah yes, morning quiet time. There is nothing that can top the solace of solitude. With pen in hand, Bible and journal laid wide and heart open, these are the moments that create a life.

It is here that I contemplate and pray and praise. In this place, I wrestle and surrender. Here, God causes me to see how small I am and reminds me how great He is. How utterly weak I am and yet how invincibly strong He is. The Holy Spirit washes over me with memories of all the ways God has made a way. And all the times He came through in the nick of time.

This morning, as I sat at the table. I had the added blessing of gazing at our newly decorated Christmas tree. The first time of every season is usually a little emotional for me. Is it that way for you, too?

As I beheld the tree this morning, with ornaments from the past, my eyes flooded with happy tears. I focus on each one, and the memories come racing back. Transporting me to the past and simple moments carved deep into my heart.

Snowman

The snowman. Tiny. It’s from 1998.
I remember my husband sheepishly placing two of them on our virtually bare tree. It’s our second Christmas. We didn’t have much as we were only just beginning our family of memories.

He received the snowman as a bonus when he bought me Rudolph character plushies from CVS. A desire I had in my heart to “collect them all” for the children we would have – one day. 😉

Those snowmen are precious to me – from days, though difficult, they were full of hope! And my husband, so sweet in his giving heart towards me.

I have loved snowmen ever since!

Nativity

The acrylic Nativity is our oldest ornament from our very first Christmas in 1997. I remember being barely two months a bride, and we were at Michaels. (A craft and decorating store I loved to shop). We did not have much money, but there was a sale. We purchased our first tree there. It was 7.5 feet tall! – taller than either of us had ever had.

Because of the sale, it was $25, which was a steal even back then! 🙂

This acrylic Nativity was $1. We got a star also. But sadly, it broke, as did the tree, in time.

Amazingly, that beautiful yet simple Nativity has lasted all these years and is still my most favorite of all.

When I see that ornament, I remember all the hopes and dreams I had for my future with the husband God gave me. While the years have had their share of ups and downs, highs and lows, what has been constant is God’s love for us, our love for him, and our love for each other. A trifecta of love that has filled my life with hope. No matter the hardship. No matter the day, whether in joy or pain.

Christmas – an Act of Love

Philippians 2:6-8 reads:

“Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” NLT

I recall listening to a preacher who went into great detail to describe how Jesus deliberately stripped himself down so he could take the form of humans.

Why?

Why did he do that? Let’s read these words that Jesus said in John 10:10.

”I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.“
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AMP reads

”I came that they may have life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].“
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And my favorite NLT

”My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.“

A rich and satisfying life! I love the sound of that, don’t you?

Immediately before that, the scriptures record that Jesus said,” The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.” Then he quickly follows up with, “But my purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.“

As I contemplate my life from its beginning to the present, I have to conclude that life with Jesus is, with certainty, rich and satisfying. Not perfect or free from pain, but rich and satisfying. Yes!

Life is life. It is full of happy times and also sad times. Sometimes, we soar high with the expectancy and joy of dreams fulfilled. At other times, we crash hard, and our fragile hearts become bruised, busted, and broken, leaving us virtually immobile, too weak to move.

I love Jesus for leaving us verses like John 16:33, where he tells his disciples essentially, Don’t worry.

”I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John‬ ‭16‬:‭33‬ ‭NL

In other words. We know the end of the story! The scriptures tell us plainly that when we choose Jesus, we choose the side that wins!

As a result, we receive a life that wins!

Do You Want to Win?

As we parent our children (now teens and young adults), there is a question my husband often asks them when teaching them how to make good choices, specifically when choosing between right and wrong.

“Do you want to win?” he’ll ask.

Let’s look back at John 10:10.

”The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.“ NLT

As I see it, Jesus summed the whole of the Bible in this verse. There are two sides. There are two choices. And we are free to choose.

So, in answer to my husband’s question.

I want to win!

For this reason, I choose Jesus.

Prayer

Finishing up my time at the table, having gone through countless memories too many to list here. Over twenty-five years with my husband and the children we had yet to have now all but grown. Tears still stream and I pray.

Thank you, Father, for Christmas and for orchestrating our days to include such a gift as this one of remembrance.

Thank you for the ability to return again and again with a heart of gratitude for your life and the life you made possible for me to live with my sweet, loving husband and beautiful children all because of your precious sacrifice. You were willing to strip yourself of everything, take on human flesh, be born as a baby, live in this wretched world, and die on a cross – for me – for all.

Strengthen me as I return to a place of dedication wholly and completely unto you. Ever trusting in your perfect plan, though I may not understand. As I wrestle in my own Garden of Gethsemane, help me to say, as you said, “Not my will, but thine be done.”

In Jesus’ Name!
Amen!

Conclusion

Dear Friend,

As you have peered into my soul today, I pray you have been encouraged. As I have taken a moment to reminisce the many good days and also the hard, I pray you will too. Above all never forgetting that out of his own mouth, Jesus said, my purpose is to give them a RICH and Satisfying Life.

“them” includes me. and YOU!!

I believe Christmas is an invitation to tap into more than all the holly jolly we see around us and truly embrace the abundant life He sacrificed so we might live. When we choose Him, it doesn’t mean the struggle is over. However, it does mean He is with us, His power is in us, and His joy and peace fill us completely.

In essence,

Because of Him, we can go through anything!!

”I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.“ Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT

Merry Christmas!

Much Love!! ~Tammy

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