Week one of December: Hope - brooksjeankunの日記

It’s Christmas time again! The first week of December is recognized as the week of hope. Church goers celebrate the hope of a coming Savior. Most of the West recognizes a long Christmas to-do list that includes: gifts, parties and family gatherings.

We are transfixed by marketers that sell us a cup of coffee and a lifetime of dreams. For some of us the Foldger’s commercial embodies Christmas reality. For the rest of us, it is a fantasy story, a Christmas dream that has never really come true. So, this Christmas we have HOPE that maybe the Foldger’s commercial will happen for us. We have HOPE!

Does Christmas actually produce a large lump in your throat and a tightness in your belly? If so, you are not alone; it does the same thing for me too. The holidays have been great for me. I have enjoyed a lot of fun. I have a few of those perfect Christmas cards where my family is smiling in coordinated outfits. There were a few Christmases when I made cookies, cleaned the house and hosted a holiday party. And there were also the years where we had family fights, not enough resources for the American Christmas dream, and I only unpacked one box of Christmas decorations.

There was the year when our daughters said: “How come we don’t put up outdoor Christmas lights?” My husband and I stared at each other realizing we had become tired and just not done it! If you are dreading some parts of Christmas, you are not alone.

I think we are all looking for that as well. Sometimes we mix up the commercial Christmas for the real Christmas. There were no Christmas cards when Jesus was born…. instead there was a star. There were no fancy formal dresses melbourne, instead there were dirty shepherds. There were no decorations… instead there were weary parents and a simple manger.

What there was in Bethlehem was HOPE. New birth brought hope for a new future.

Something to do: This week give yourself some space to breath. Allow yourself to be real and acknowledge what is most important about Christmas for you. Make a list of the things you love and make a point to fit them into the next four weeks (even if it is only one thing from the list). Bring the hope back to Christmas by feeding your spirit.

It’s Christmas time again! The first week of December is recognized as the week of Hope. Church goers celebrate the hope of a coming Savior. Most of the West recognizes a long Christmas to do list that includes: gifts, parties and family gatherings. We are transfixed by marketers that sell us a cup of coffee and a lifetime of dreams. For some of us the Foldger’s commercial embodies Christmas reality. For the rest of us, it is a fantasy story. A Christmas dream that has never really come true. So, this Christmas we have HOPE that maybe the Foldger’s commercial will happen for us. We have HOPE!

Does Christmas actually produce a large lump in your throat and a tightness in your belly? If so, you are not alone it does the same thing for me too. The Holiday’s have been great for me. I have enjoyed a lot of fun. I have a few of those perfect Christmas cards where my family is smiling in coordinated outfits. There were a few Christmas’ when I made cookies, cleaned the house and hosted a Holiday party. And there were also the years where we had family fights, not enough resources for the American Christmas dream and I only unpacked one box of Christmas decorations. There was the year when our daughter’s said: “How come we don’t put up outdoor Christmas lights.” My husband and I stared at each other realizing we had become tired and just not done it! If you are dreading some parts of Christmas, you are not alone.

Hope in itself is a good thing. The celebration of Christmas in its pure form is all about hope. It is the expectation of something good, something better for the future. In ancient times the people were waiting for a savior, a redeemer, someone to bring an end to their suffering. I think we are all looking for that as well. Sometimes we mix up the commercial Christmas for the real Christmas. There were no Christmas cards when Jesus was born…. instead there was a star. There were no fancy dresses, instead their were dirty shepherds. There were no decorations… instead there were weary parents and a simple manger.

What there was in Bethlehem was HOPE. New birth brought hope for a new future.