Christmas is definitely “in the air” in the Muscatine area! In the past weekend alone, Muscatine hosted the Jingle and Mingle holiday stroll downtown, the symphony played a concert full of favorite Christmas tunes, and the Christmas train pulled into Pearl City Station down at the river front. Christmas is not only coming, but it seems as though Christmas is already here.
With all these events, there’s joy. There’s laughter. There’s good company. And there’s good memories to be made. All fantastic, fantastic, things. But in the words of one of my violin students this past Monday, by the time we get into December, it can be easy to feel and say: “I’m already Christmas-ed out.”
Right now, on December 6, perhaps you don’t resonate with that statement quite yet. But if we’re a bit honest, it probably isn’t that hard to think of a year in which when you finally sat down with the family around the tree and you were just ready for the extra commitments to be over. Or, by the time you pulled the Christmas ham out of the oven you were just looking for some space to yourself.
Now, before I sound like I’m degrading Christmas traditions and gatherings, I’m not. The way we spend time with people around the holidays can be food for the soul. But all too often, by the time we get to Christmas, we actually miss out on seeing – and experiencing – the joy that the angels sing in the fields to the shepherds.
So this year, as you prepare for Christmas, consider what it is that you need to prepare for Christ’s coming. If that means coming to our Shepherd Christmas party, join us! (it’ll be a great night!) If that means dedicating yourself to worship to hear God’s Word spoken to you, join us! If that means carving out 5 minutes to be still, or to pray, do it. And, if it means taking one thing off your calendar so that you feel a bit less rushed this December, do it.
There are plenty of “things” that we might feel pressured to do, or be a part of, this season. But this Advent season is meant for preparation. So before completely skipping ahead to the glitz and the glam of Christmas, pause for just a moment. Because there might be something right here, in this season of waiting and hoping, just for you.