Merry Christmas!

God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.
I Timothy 3:16

Christmas is not a Ceremony!

What if I told you that Christmas was not a ceremony? It seems like every year there are two types of people. Those who go all out on Christmas, buying exactly everything everyone wants, using every decoration they own, and performing every tradition. Then there are those who don't celebrate at all. But what if we met in the middle. Christmas should be celebrated, but it's not all about the traditions, decorations and presents. These are the very things that can make Christmas stressful. These things are the very example of the people who were living during the first Christmas. The Jews were trying to follow every rule to the letter. If they messed up, over and over, they just stopped trying. Their problem wasn't God's laws, but the extra rules that people had tagged on to them. Some of God's laws were very simple. He said do no work on the Sabbath, but instead to rest. But that wasn't good enough for the Jews of Roman Israel. Instead of enjoying a day off it became a day of tedious non-work. They decided to make very specific rules about what you were allowed and not allowed to do on the Sabbath. Thus the Jews became servants of the Sabbath rather than enjoying the day. What they had to be reminded of was that they were not made for the Sabbath, the Sabbath was made for them.
That's something we need to be reminded about when Christmas comes around. Christmas wasn't invented for the traditions, decorations, or presents. These are just the things that make Christmas a little more fun. Christmas is simply a day set aside to allow us to worship God for coming to live with us, to thank Him for not forsaking us in our sins.
The traditions can be fun, but they can become an obligation. Think about why you have those traditions. Remembering their purpose may help you enjoy them better, or you may realize they weren't as important as you thought, and you can let them go. If they become stressful to keep or perform, then perhaps it's time to give that tradition a rest. You can pick them up next year, or start a new tradition, or decide not to do any ceremonies. You weren't made for the traditions.
Decorations are beautiful, and tell everyone who sees them that you are ready to celebrate. They may hold memories, or perhaps their own traditions. But if you lose them, it's okay, because you could have had the most decked out house in the world, but it wouldn't matter if your heart wasn't in the right place. If you truly celebrate Christmas for the right reason, you will be joyful in spite of your loss. You may not be able to afford them. Make your own. Making your own decorations gives you a sense of pride. Then they hold their own special memories that store bought decor may not share. But Christmas was not made for Decorations.
While everyone loves presents, time and money are not always in your favor. Perhaps you can't afford that necklace, watch, or newest toy. These are only things that can wear out and break, or become forgotten. Perhaps you didn't have time to make presents because you were working so much to earn money. Even after all your long hours you still have no money to buy presents. Things are perishable, but the gift of new life through Jesus is eternal, and that's what Christmas is about.
Christmas is not about ceremony. Christmas is about celebrating the fact that God is with us. Even if you are at the bottom of everything and have no one to spend Christmas with, take comfort in knowing that God is with you. Celebrate with Him. Sing to Him. Praise Him. Thank Him for his gift of love, because that is all that matters, every day of the year.
You weren't made for Christmas. You were made to be loved by God.

With love, Elizabeth.
Merry Christmas! I pray that you feel the love of Jesus this Christmas. He has His arms around you, hug Him back.

Sunday Bible Verse

Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it.
Isaiah 2:2