Tag: Christmas

A CHANGE OF PERSPECTIVE

We did it! The Christmas decorations are up for another year! I am sitting with a cup of tea, a fire in the fireplace, enjoying the lights while a Christmas movie on television provides background noise. For so many, many years I have enjoyed decorating for Christmas. But as the years have passed it has become more of a chore. I’m old! I own it. And I have aches and pains. I am so blessed to be married to a man who loves Christmas as much as I do. I couldn’t (and wouldn’t) do it by myself. I remember an elderly aunt who put out a poinsettia and a fruitcake and called it good. The older I get, the more I understand that. But for this year we are still all in.

We had a plan. Remembering our aching backs and hips, we decided to do a little every day and then take a break. We started on Monday and by Saturday morning we were 98% done. Enough to sit and enjoy. Some people wonder why we decorate so early. It’s because it is so much work to get it all out, we want a long time to enjoy it. And Thanksgiving is late this year, so we don’t want to wait until the turkey is gone. You would have laughed if you could have seen us. We kept a big bottle of Aleve handy and began the task of untangling lights and fluffing the many garlands that go up our staircase and across the landing. And by the way, we have a very curious new puppy. “Stop it! Put that down! What’s in your mouth?”  Jerry and I have joked that he is going to think his name in No No!  We each would work for about half an hour, and then one of us would say, “I’ve got to sit down and take a break. Oh, my aching back!” 

About two days in, I was standing on a death-defying ladder, reaching for the top of our tree, and doing some internal grumbling. “Why are we doing all this work,” I thought. Truthfully, I know I mostly do it because I love it, but the kids have all moved. No one lives around the corner anymore. Even our youngest grand is now 15. They are all busy. They will come by a couple of times, but does that warrant decorating for high mass? As I was thinking these things, some Christmas music was playing, and it hit me! The King is coming! And He is worthy of my best efforts. I want my house to be sparkling, the silver polished, and the aroma of delicious food filling the house. That thought changed the way I worked. Oh, it was still physical, and I still got tired, but I enjoyed it! I want to do it to honor Him, and not for myself. 

Now that my house is ready, I want to spend time preparing my heart. Isn’t that what Advent is all about? I know the lights and the tree are only externals. What Jesus really wants is a ready heart, and I want that too. The decorations are merely an outward sign that we waiting to receive the King. And bonus, I get to enjoy them too. And now if you will excuse me, I just noticed that a strand of lights has gone out. 

Reflections on New Year’s Day: Hope Amidst Tragedy

New Year’s Day!   I awoke early this morning, at about 5:30, thinking “A new year!” I thanked God for allowing me to live to see the dawning of another year. I am having a birthday in a few days, and at my age, another new year is not a given. I stayed down for a few minutes, talking to God and thinking about plans and goals. And then I turned on the television.

Only three hours into 2025, and already humans are killing each other! Why?!

A man drove a truck into a New Year’s Eve crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing and wreaking havoc. People were celebrating the new year. People with plans and goals. Maybe some were getting engaged or celebrating other life events. Many were anticipating the Sugar Bowl later tonight. Officials are using phrases such as “IEDs,” and “terrorist attack.”  Such a tragic way to begin a new year.

I am remembering past Sugar Bowls I have attended. The Ritz Carlton, just a block away from the crime scene.  A New Year’s Eve dinner at Antoine’s, brunch at The Court of Two Sisters, a parade down Canal Street. As I write these words, the French Quarter is virtually shut down and the Sugar bowl is a question mark. 

It has only been one week since we celebrated the birth of the Prince of Peace. My mind goes to the words penned by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said;
    “For hate is strong,
    And mocks the song 
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
    The Wrong shall fail,
    The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.” 

God is not dead. He saw it and He weeps. And miraculously, He is not finished with us. The peace Jesus offers us in this lifetime is peace in the midst of sorrow and tragedy. We will not know perfect peace on this side of Heaven. Until then, we live in a fallen world with broken people. So for 2025, I hold to the promise that He is with me, nothing that happens to me takes him by surprise, and that someday He will make all things new (Rev. 21:5).

Embracing Christmas Spirit Everywhere: A Prayerful Message

If you know me, you know I love Christmas music. So much so that I start playing it at Halloween and don’t get tired of it. My current favorite song is Let It Be Christmas by Alan Jackson. In addition to the hyperlink I am posting the lyrics and invite you to read (or sing!) them. The words are so beautiful! 

Let it be Christmas everywhere
In the hearts of all people
Both near and afar
Christmas everywhere
Feel the love of the season where ever you are
On the small country roads
Lined with green mistletoe
Big city streets where a thousand lights glow

Let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let every heart sing
Let every bell ring
The story of hope and joy and peace
And let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let anger and fear and hate disappear
Let there be love that lasts through the year
And let it be Christmas, Christmas everywhere

Let it be Christmas everywhere
With the gold and the silver, the green and the red
Christmas everywhere
In the smiles of all children asleep in their beds 
In the eyes of young babies 
Their first fallen snow
The elderly’s memories that never grow old
Let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let every heart sing
Let every bell ring
The story of hope and joy and peace
And let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let anger and fear and hate disappear
Let there be love that lasts through the year
And let it be Christmas, Christmas everywhere

Let it be Christmas everywhere
In the songs that we sing
And the gifts that we bring
Christmas everywhere
In what this day means 
And what we believe
From the sandy white beaches
Where blue water rolls
Snow covered mountains and valleys below

Let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let every heart sing
Let every bell ring
The story of hope and joy and peace
And let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let anger and fear and hate disappear
Let there be love that lasts through the year
And let it be Christmas, Christmas everywhere
Christmas everywhere
Christmas everywhere

This morning, I was singing along with Alan as I was getting dressed, but I sang it as a prayer.  I prayed the hope and joy and peace the song speaks of.

Let it be Christmas everywhere.  Let it be Christmas in the hospital where my dear friend is having a scary procedure. Be present in all hospitals and strengthen those who care for the sick. Let it be Christmas in the heart of my friend who will leave his home and enter a nursing home today. Bless all who care for the elderly.

Let it be Christmas on college campuses where my grands and many others are taking final exams and finishing the semester. Let it be Christmas on the highways as they travel home to be with loved ones. Protect all who are traveling during this busy holiday season. Let it be Christmas in homes where families are fractured, marriages on a fault line. Oh please restore love and peace and joy. 

Let it be Christmas for the working mom who tries to do it all. Let’s face it…it is the moms who make Christmas. Help her to remember what we are really celebrating.  Bless the hard-working Dad who is doing his best to provide for his family. Let it be Christmas for schoolteachers. And bless them! Let it be Christmas for the children who think that there is too much time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and for the adults who feel like we lost a week this year! 

Let it be Christmas in busy malls and stores where shoppers exhaust themselves and their bank accounts looking for just the right gift. Let it be Christmas for those who deliver packages and holiday mail, and then the bills that follow in January. Let it be Christmas for those who work in restaurants, serving sometimes grouchy customers.  Let it be Christmas for the men I saw this morning who were digging a ditch by hand in the cold December drizzle, and for those who pick up my garbage. Lord, help me to be aware of others; help me to see them with your eyes.

Let it be Christmas in a middle east that is on fire. For those around the globe who are in war-torn places or who are oppressed or imprisoned. Let them come to know you as Messiah, our only hope.

Let it be Christmas in our YOUR churches. Let the words of the Gospel ring out and fall on listening ears. Let those of us who have been Believers for many years wonder anew at the story of Your birth. The music, the lights, the parties, the food and the decorations are all nice, but help us keep You at the forefront. Let it be Christmas in our hearts.

Embracing God’s Peace Amid Life’s Chaos

Today’s post was written by a guest writer…my 26-year old granddaughter, Hannah Herrold. Her church in Colorado compiled an Advent study written by different writers from all over the country, and one even from Africa. They are all different ages and at different stages in life. Hannah was asked to contribute and to say I am proud would be an understatement. Proud is probably the wrong word. I am awed by what God is doing in her life. I hope she continues to develop here gift for writing, and I hope you will enjoy what she has to say about peace.

Philippians 4:67 –

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Reflection:

We all have moments in our lives when it feels like peace is just out of reach. Whether you’re juggling school, starting a new job, or managing family life, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the demands placed upon us. The pressures of relationships, finances, and daily stress can leave us feeling anxious and exhausted as if we’re caught in a whirlwind with no clear path to calm. In these times, it’s crucial to remember that true peace is not found in the absence of chaos but in the presence of something greater—a quiet trust in God’s unwavering support and guidance.

Philippians 4:6-7 offers a powerful reminder: peace isn’t just about having everything together – it’s a gift from God. Paul encourages us to bring our worries to God in prayer, emphasizing that this act goes beyond merely listing our problems; it’s about establishing a deep, intimate connection with the One who truly understands what we’re going through. In this sacred dialogue, we can exchange our anxieties for His tranquility, allowing His presence to envelop us and fill our hearts with a peace that surpasses all understanding.

When we pray, we shift our focus from our stress to God, who holds everything in His hands. This change in perspective can be life-changing. Our worries may feel heavy, but God’s peace is constant and available, even in the chaos. It protects our hearts and minds, giving us a safe space to breathe.

When peace feels impossible, remember that God is with you, no matter what you’re facing. His peace is not based on the circumstance but rather on His love. As you seek Him, you might find what seems impossible becomes possible. He’s the ultimate source of peace we all need.

Optional Reflection Questions:

1) What specific worries or anxieties are currently occupying your mind? How do they impact your sense of peace?

2) In what ways have you experienced God’s peace in the past? How can you recall these moments to encourage yourself now?

3) How might bringing your concerns to God in prayer change your perspecave on them?

4) Are there specific practices or habits that help you cultivate a sense of peace that you could incorporate into your daily/weekly/monthly routine?

PUTTING AWAY CHRISTMAS

The older I get, the more difficult it becomes to decorate the house for Christmas.  It requires boxes of decorations being brought down from the attic, rearranging my furniture; ladders, and boxes and boxes of ornaments, greenery, and other assorted decorations to be put out; and at least two days of physical work that leave Jerry and I with backaches and stiff muscles.   We like to put everything up early so we have a long time to enjoy our tree and everything that goes with it. 

Of course, what goes up must come down.  That requires two more days of hard work and many trips up and down the stairs. After all the garlands and lights and ornaments are put away, I feel a mixture of emotions. I know I will be glad to get my house back in order, but I will miss the lights of the Christmas tree in the mornings when I get up and drink my coffee from a favorite Christmas mug.  And I miss the anticipation of Christmas.    

I love everything about Christmas: the lights, the music, the smells, the foods, and most of all, the relationships. I love carving out special times for special people…friends and family.  Our family keeps growing and changing, and with that needs change. We are going to need to alter our Christmas traditions next year. We now have married grandchildren, so in addition to the families of our sons-in-law, we have to schedule around another layer of in-laws who also want time. We have college grandchildren who return home at various times and a working granddaughter who lives out of state and can only be home for a few days. Even our grands that live here have work schedules and constant activities we must work around. Twenty-four people with twenty-four different needs. 

As I put away Christmas this year, I have no idea what it will look like next year. For this mother hen who loves all her chicks close to the nest, it is hard to be flexible, but that is what I must be. As for Jerry and I, we are acutely aware that this is another bonus Christmas after his close brush with death a few years ago. We now have more widowed friends, and the number grows every year. Maybe it is the knowledge that time is running out that makes me treasure each Christmas. I used to tease my grandmother for saying, “I wonder how many more Christmases we will have to all be together.”  Now I get it. 

I guess relationships are the most important part of Christmas.  After all, relationship is the reason we have Christmas in the first place.  God desired a relationship with man, so he came to earth to dwell among us and provide a way for us to be in relationship with Him.  

As I pack away Christmas, I want to keep part of it all year long.  My greatest gifts are my relationships.  My relationship with Jesus is primary.  But my family is my treasure.  I’m so blessed to have my husband and our children, grandchildren, and now four little greats!  We are so blessed to be a part of a large and loving family.  We are a part of a vibrant and loving church family.  We are blessed with many friends and acquaintances we enjoy.  

Thank you, Lord for Christmas.  Help me to celebrate all year long! 

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.  Psalm 90:12 (NIV).  

LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered–how fleeting my life is.  Psalm 39:4 (NLT).

The older I get, the more difficult it becomes to decorate the house for Christmas.  It requires boxes of decorations being brought down from the attic, rearranging my furniture; ladders, and boxes and boxes of ornaments, greenery, and other assorted decorations to be put out; and at least two days of physical work that leave Jerry and I with backaches and stiff muscles.   We like to put everything up early so we have a long time to enjoy our tree and everything that goes with it. 

Of course, what goes up must come down.  That requires two more days of hard work and many trips up and down the stairs. After all the garlands and lights and ornaments are put away, I feel a mixture of emotions. I know I will be glad to get my house back in order, but I will miss the lights of the Christmas tree in the mornings when I get up and drink my coffee from a favorite Christmas mug.  And I miss the anticipation of Christmas.    

I love everything about Christmas: the lights, the music, the smells, the foods, and most of all, the relationships. I love carving out special times for special people…friends and family.  Our family keeps growing and changing, and with that needs change. We are going to need to alter our Christmas traditions next year. We now have married grandchildren, so in addition to the families of our sons-in-law, we have to schedule around another layer of in-laws who also want time. We have college grandchildren who return home at various times and a working granddaughter who lives out of state and can only be home for a few days. Even our grands that live here have work schedules and constant activities we must work around. Twenty-four people with twenty-four different needs. 

As I put away Christmas this year, I have no idea what it will look like next year. For this mother hen who loves all her chicks close to the nest, it is hard to be flexible, but that is what I must be. As for Jerry and I, we are acutely aware that this is another bonus Christmas after his close brush with death a few years ago. We now have more widowed friends, and the number grows every year. Maybe it is the knowledge that time is running out that makes me treasure each Christmas. I used to tease my grandmother for saying, “I wonder how many more Christmases we will have to all be together.”  Now I get it. 

I guess relationships are the most important part of Christmas.  After all, relationship is the reason we have Christmas in the first place.  God desired a relationship with man, so he came to earth to dwell among us and provide a way for us to be in relationship with Him.  

As I pack away Christmas, I want to keep part of it all year long.  My greatest gifts are my relationships.  My relationship with Jesus is primary.  But my family is my treasure.  I’m so blessed to have my husband and our children, grandchildren, and now four little greats!  We are so blessed to be a part of a large and loving family.  We are a part of a vibrant and loving church family.  We are blessed with many friends and acquaintances we enjoy.  

Thank you, Lord for Christmas.  Help me to celebrate all year long! 

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.  Psalm 90:12 (NIV).  

LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered–how fleeting my life is.  Psalm 39:4 (NLT).

A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING

A few years ago there was a commercial for some baby product…I can’t remember which… that ended with the statement, “A baby changes everything.” There is a giant truth wrapped in those four words. Almost from the moment of conception, things change and they never go back to the way they were. Our family has had four new babies in four years and these four little ones have rocked our world. We have seen our daughter and her husband become grandparents, which means that Jerry and I have become great-grandparents!  That feels like a seismic change. It also means that we are old, but that is a different post for another day.

If you have any expectant parents in your life you know that they take baby preparations very seriously. Everything from pacifiers to pediatrician is carefully researched, compared, and discussed.  And so much baby equipment! What kind of crib? Which type of diapers? And there are so many options for strollers I don’t know how you ever decide. There is even a swaddling bassinet that rocks and soothes baby back to sleep as soon as baby stirs. When I think about my own babies I wonder how they ever survived to adulthood. I remember bringing my newborns home from the hospital in my arms.  In the front seat!

Not everyone is thrilled when they get the news that a baby is coming.  Some may feel that they are not ready to be parents, that the timing is wrong, that they have a different plan for their lives. Others are just plain terrified. I think that is part of the reason God gives us nine months of pregnancy. It takes that long to prepare, to get mentally, physically, and emotionally ready for the new life that will change your life. And even for those who have planned and longed for the birth of their baby, it takes time to move from wanting a sweet little baby to being prepared to parent a demanding, crying infant who entirely depends on you.

For the last several days I have been thinking about getting ready for Christmas and Advent. In fact our pastor began to preach on the birth of Jesus and he talked about Mary, about the unexpected interruption into her life.  I wonder what it was like to get such an incredible announcement. The news the angel delivered was impossible, and yet, nothing is impossible with God. She had a choice to make, and in that moment Mary moved from someone who believed in God to one who believed God.  There is a difference. Even though Mary immediately said yes to God, I can imagine that she needed time to prepare her own heart to become the mother of the Messiah.  A huge task for a young girl, but not too huge for a great God. Mary’s baby would change everything! 

Every year Christmas comes with hustle and bustle. And so many preparations! We get physically ready. We decorate, we shop, we wrap, and we bake. We make lists and we strategize. Just as Mary brought Christ into the world, by and large it is women who bring Christmas into the home. We may need to get emotionally ready to deal with difficult family members or we may be grieving the loss of a loved one.

We make all these preparations, but do we spiritually prepare? This year I want to do more Advent devotionals, and pray more. I want to prepare my heart for more than a sweet baby in a manger. I want to be ready for the King of Kings, the cosmic Christ whose birth changed the world forever. Like Mary, we have been called to bear Christ to the world and I too want to say yes to God.  As my pastor said, God’s interruption in my life is better than any plans I might have. I want to open the door to my heart and say, “Come, Lord Jesus,” and I want to mean those words in all their fullness.

Have you ever said yes to Jesus?

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.’ Rev. 3:20 NIV

FREEZE THE FRAME

Christmas 2022 is in the books.  The presents have all been unwrapped and the decorations put away until next year, although as I type these words I see a Christmas pillow that needs go in the attic.  We were talking with our girls about Christmas when I made the comment that this has been my best Christmas ever.  Our daughter Kristie thoughtfully asked, “Mom, what do you think made it your favorite?”  

It is hard to put into words, this overflowing heart feeling.  I am so grateful that once again we got to have our entire immediate family together on Christmas morning.  The past two years have been rough, with deaths of extended family members, Covid, and two sons-in-law who have battled cancer.  So it was a blessing that we could all be together and healthy.  Thank you, Lord.

The photo that you see is a picture of Jerry and I with all our grands and greats.  I wish our daughters and their husbands could have been in the picture too, but I’m not sure how we could have accommodated 24 of us on the stairs and in one snapshot.  As I look at this picture my heart is full, but at the same time there is a feeling of sadness.  I know it won’t always be this way.  We have a lot of moving parts, and now, even our parts have parts.  Two of our grands are now married and have in-laws.  I can remember having to make the rounds with children at Christmas…three turkey dinners in 24 hours!  We finally got to the point where we wanted to have a less hectic Christmas in our own home.  And so will our grandchildren.  It is a natural, expected part of life.  

The problem with “lasts” is that you often don’t recognize it’s a last until it is gone.  I am remembering Christmases with all my siblings at our grandparent’s house.  When was the last time?  I can’t even remember.  But oh how I wish for five more minutes, like in the Hallmark movies.  But then we would have to part all over again and I don’t think I could bear it.  

Why was this my best Christmas?  This photo that you see?  I want to freeze it and make time stand still, put my arms around all my babies and hold them close.  I think Michael W. Smith says it so much better than I can in his song, “Freeze the Frame.”  I dare you to read the lyrics and watch the video with dry eyes. 

All my favorite people
Gathered in one place
This cold December evening
My eyes go face to face

Drinking in the joy I feel
For all the love we share
There’s no song as sweet as family
Voices in the air

Can we freeze the frame

And stop the hands of time?
Make the moon stand still in the sky?


My only wish this Christmas Eve
Is that we could all remain 

Forever here


Can we freeze the frame?

Hard to make it happen
But everybody’s home
And the ones who once were children
Now have children of their own

Time around the table
And time around the tree
These moments in these rooms tonight
Are everything I dream

Can we freeze the frame
And stop the hands of time?
Make the moon stand still in the sky?


My only wish this Christmas Eve
Is that we could all remain 

Forever here


Can we freeze the frame?

It’s something close to sacred
I’m on the edge of tears
We don’t need the presents
It’s just the presence
Of the people gathered here

Oh, can we freeze the frame
And stop the hands of time?
Make the moon stand still in the sky?


My only wish this Christmas Eve
Is that we could all remain 

Forever here


Can we freeze the frame? (Ooh…)

Forever here
Can we freeze the frame?

Ooo-ooh-ooh…

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Michael Whitaker Smith / Tony Webster Wood

EMBRACING MY SEASON

I’ve been feeling pretty nostalgic as we approach Christmas. Maybe wistful is a better word…combined with nostalgia. For some time I have been wanting to slow the calendar down. Time is racing past! And I feel it acutely at Christmas.

Several years ago I collected all our photos from past Christmases and scanned them into my computer. I made a slide show and surprised my family with it on Christmas morning. I wasn’t sure how it would go over with a tree full of presents waiting to be unwrapped. But everyone loved it, the adults as well as the children. They wanted to sit through the whole thing before unwrapping gifts. Maybe some things are better than bought presents. I’ve continued to add to the slideshow every year and I will have it playing again Christmas morning. But this year I also did something different. I am playing it continually on my Echo Show that sits on my kitchen counter. So every time I walk into the kitchen I am treated to a blast from the past. And that is what is triggering my nostalgia.

Where did the years go? I thought my children grew up fast, but my grandchildren’s childhood years have flown by at warp speed. Our youngest is nine this year and is the only remaining believer in the magic of Santa Claus. We have two who are grown and married, one with a baby of her own. Our two college kids will be joined by a third, leaving a high school senior, two in middle school, and one left in elementary school. Once they get to a certain age they don’t have as much time for us, especially when they get those driver’s licenses. It is not such a treat to come to JuJu and Paki’s house, and that is how it should be. They have lives of their own. But it makes me miss the days when there were lots of little feet in the house.

EPSON MFP image

EPSON MFP image

I would love to go back and visit a Christmas past. Maybe a Christmas Eve with my own dear grandparents. I miss them every day. A Christmas with all my siblings.  Or a Christmas at our old house, the one our kids grew up in. I can practically hear those little feet running down the stairs shouting with joy over a doll or a bicycle. We have been in our current house for almost 20 years, so we have many wonderful Christmas memories here too. Little grand babies that have grown into big people.

EPSON MFP image

I’m wondering what future Christmases will look like. Will they continue to be as much fun as the grands continue to grow older? Will we be blessed enough to have more together? Will we still be relevant in their lives I’m coaching myself to embrace the season I’m in. To be mindful of my many blessings. I’m reminded of the story of the Exodus in the Old Testament when God delivered the children of Israel from a life of slavery. What did they do? They complained and looked back on the “leeks and garlic of Egypt.” If I focus too much on Christmas Past or Christmas Future I might miss the joy of Christmas Present.

So I thank God that Jerry and I get another Christmas together. We almost didn’t. Not all of my friends are so blessed. We know that these are bonus days for us, and tell each other every day. I have friends who are dealing with loss this year. Soul crushing loss. If you are going through a season of loss this year, please know that Jesus sees you and longs to be your comfort. And if you are looking for someone to listen to your pain, I’m pretty good at that.

Jerry and I still have our health, although we are not moving around as well as we used to. I know we are so lucky to have all our children and grandchildren living right here in Tulsa, some just around the corner. I’m blessed that we get to host Christmas Day. With so many moving parts we might not always get everyone together.

I don’t know the future holds but I trust the One who holds it. So I will enjoy Christmas 2019 and be grateful for our blessings. Most of all we are grateful that all our children and grandchildren know the Lord and we will all spend eternity together in His presence.

WHITE CHRISTMAS

 

A few years ago I wrote this piece for my book, Seasons. When it snowed yesterday, I started thinking about it. This is an updated version I hope you will enjoy.

Jerry and I have been binge-watching Hallmark Christmas movies since Thanksgiving. Even though they are cheesy and predictable, we love them. They are so formulaic, we could write a screenplay ourselves. Especially the ending: It snows and they kiss. I love the settings for these movies. Small towns with picturesque Main Streets, and a snow-covered mountain in the background. But my favorite Christmas movie, bar none, is White Christmas. Jerry groans every year when I suggest watching it, so in recent years I have watched it by myself or with my girls. The girls and I can recite most of the lines and sing the songs by heart. In recent years we have all had trouble staying awake past the train scene (“Vermont should be beautiful this time of year!”) This year I stayed awake through the whole thing!

What is it about that movie that speaks to us? I think for me it is a combination of nostalgia and hope. When the movie first came out, I was only a little girl. I was remembering my early childhood Christmases this morning. The one that particularly stands out in my memory was when I was six. It had been a good year financially for my parents (most were not), and I got a Western Flyer bicycle and a Toni doll. My younger sister received a Tiny Tears doll. For some reason fruitcake is tied to this memory, although I’m sure I would not have eaten any at that age.

White Christmas follows the career of two soldiers (played by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye) in the years after World War II. It dawned on that the Christmas in my memory was not too far removed from that war. Since it ended before I was born, the war always seemed like ancient history to me. But to my parents, it had only been a few years. I wonder what it felt like to celebrate Christmas in peace and prosperity after going through such a dangerous and rationed period. They never spoke much about the war, and now I wish I had asked more questions.

I remind myself that we are still fighting wars. All over the world we have troops that are dreaming of a Christmas “just like the ones (they) used to know.” But they are doing their duty, trying to keep peace in a world filled with conflict, trying to keep us safe. And the ones who have returned home may still be battling their own traumatic memories.

Peace on earth. The prophets spoke of it, the angels sang of it. And yet we still have wars and struggles, families are still torn apart. We even have battles within ourselves. This past week I have heard some particularly devastating stories in my office. “Jesus, you were born into such a dark world! Oh, Prince of Peace, where are You,” I cry.

“Where is the Christmas we long for,” I wonder. Then Jesus reminds me that the war is not over. His kingdom on earth has not yet been established. One day soon, He will return and conquer evil for good. Until then, we will still face battles. The words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow say it best:

And in despair I bowed my head:
“There is no peace on earth,” I said
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
From Christmas Bells1.

White Christmas. What is it about snow? It makes everything beautiful, pristine. It covers even the most blighted landscape, turning it into something pure and new. That’s what Jesus promises to do for us. He takes our ugly, sinful hearts and covers them with the pure snow of His love, transforming them and turning them into something new. He offers us peace with God. May we all experience a truly white Christmas this year.

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” Isaiah 1:18 (ESV).