Holiday Introspection

                                                   

I sat in the doctor’s office today getting a chance to do some introspecting (something it seems I rarely find time to do).   I began thinking about how crazy life has become.   I frantically began thinking about how I will get everything done in time for Christmas.  I am doing most of my shopping on-line this year, I am not having the parties at my house that I normally have, and I am not doing all of the decorating that I normally do.  So, how is it that I still do not have time to do it all?  It seems that life has become so complicated even with all of the technology that we have to save time.

I began to think back to more simpler times in my life, when both of my children were young. It was a time when I had so many things to do that seem humanly impossible that I would ever get them all done. Most Christmas seasons, there were at least one or two nights where I didn't go to bed until 5 or 6 a.m.  Even with being room mother for both of my kid’s class, Pastor’s wife, overseeing all of the music for Christmas, going to college, decorating home and church, getting gifts for families in need, and many other things, I still had time to take our children to see Santa Claus, go to the Alley Theater and see “A Christmas Carol”, go caroling, have friends over, cook, and get all of the gifts wrapped.  Somehow, times were a little simpler then.

Then I continued back in my mind to the time when I was just a child.  While we received only a few gifts for Christmas, my Mother and Granny cooked for days in advance and we spent many nights at home playing games and looking at the scrawny little Christmas tree that had the simplest of decorations.  We thought that tree was beautiful because we had all picked it out and cut it down ourselves. We threw the icicles on the tree in random form, hung the red breakable ornaments that already had some of the color scraped off, and put up other various home-made crocheted and paper ornaments.  We couldn't wait until Christmas morning to see what Santa had brought which usually included an apple, orange, nuts, and candy in our stockings.  The whole season was simply magical.  I don’t remember my parents being worn out and haggard looking.  It was always the highlight of our year!

Then I went on back to an even more simple time and that was when baby Jesus was actually born.  There were no tinsel and garlands, no beautiful gold and red velvet ornaments, and no peacock feathers atop a tree.  There probably were feathers but they were the feathers in the stable from the two chickens that got in a fight.  No, everything was simple and pure.  There was a stable with a few animals, a Mom and Dad who were weary but happy and filled with wonder, and a baby wrapped in a swaddling blanket.  Of course, we know later that the wise men and shepherds came but at this time, it was just pure and simple baby Jesus!

I hope that in the hustle and bustle of this Christmas season, that we will take time to spend with our families, sit down, take a deep breath and just enjoy this wonderful time of the year.  But more than all of that, let’s be sure and remember Jesus and be thankful for the many blessings in our lives that we sometimes rush past!  Pastor Macey wanted our theme this year to be “Simply Jesus”!  Let’s take some time at the end of this year to think on just Him!

Jeanna Macey is married to Pastor Ron Macey. She is the Chorale Director for Royalwood and serves as Advisor to Royalwood's various ladies ministries. Follow Jeanna Macey  on Twitter