Christmas - In or Out?

  On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. 
  Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  
  And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.  Matthew 2:11 - 12

If you've been in the stores trying to spend the Christmas gift cards you received or were just looking for some post-Christmas bargains - I'm sure you saw that with the clearance sales trying to get merchandise out - Christmas also on its way out the doors of each retail store.   

In its place the Valentine displays with its reds and pinks taking center stage instead, urging us to show our love through pretty cards and delicious candy.

Here at home, while recovering from some back pain issues, I'm hearing the Christmas decorations coming down and packed carefully into boxes until December arrives and its time to decorate again.

This little circle of life for Christmas decorating is similar to many things in our lives.  Excitement about an upcoming trip; the start of a new job; a move; or decorating for Christmas.  It's a time of excitement and anticipation of preparing that builds us up waiting for the big day to arrive. 

Then what?

Taking ornaments and decorations down isn't as much fun while we remove them from their places and pack them for next time.  The thrill of opening that first present might be gone - but it doesn't need to disappear.

Like the Magi who celebrated Christmas much later than the shepherds (took them a while to travel to Bethlehem), the birth of Jesus was still a focus of their journey, we can go back to our home/normal lives by a different route.  Let's keep in our hearts and minds the greatest gift ever that you and I received and not throw those Christmas Eve Worship moments way back into the closet of our mind, only to retrieve them next December 24.

Christmas-time may be over in our stores and in our homes... but CHRISTmas time stay in our hearts the rest of our lives as we remember and celebrate.

                                    For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,                   
                                  that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
                                                                                 John 3:16