Is this Christmas Magic?
Just wonderin'. You see EVERY year my mom gets to fixin' up our house after Thanksgiving. Making it well... more Christmasie. Been the creative that I am, you know I have to coin a phrase for this kind of activity and I call it, creating Christmas magic.
I the case of the opening picture I had to offer. That's PART of the snowman collection my mom and aunt have gathered thus far. Here's part two -- in the same room, the kitchen -- no less:
Featured is my mom and aunt's 2nd homage to snowman nation -- this time on a roll-around island in our kitchen. In the background is my mom's personal mural of pictures, magnets and nic-nacks. It's all her back there.
But is snowman nation part II, Christmas magic? Maybe a little accent, but certainly isn't the main course.
Okay how bout picture # 3:
No, this is what I call: Christmas spillover. Christmas spillover is where a corner of your house gets decorated and takes on a mini-vibe of its own. Here "the mom" has so chosen to decorate typically where we "dump" unsorted mail. Is unsorted mail part of Christmas magic? Most certainly not, but the mom is determined to transform the ordinary and give it a holiday feel to it.
Is picture #4 Christmas magic?
No, rather, this is part of Christmas mess. These are decorations still to be put up. Boxes, tubs, with various items spilling out into the neighboring floor and alleyways all giving our 10-month-old golden lab plenty of temptation to be in the Christmas dog-house of the fore-mentioned, mom.
I think most people can relate to Christmas mess. Putting up lights, the tree --
And all that jazz, can really crimp the holiday spirit. Or are you like that glass half full fuck who actually GETS INTO the holiday spirit when you're doing all that work?
Am I a cynic of Christmas? Of course not. I love Christmas, but what gets me in the holiday spirit IS NOT the decorations. Rather, it's the music. I love the music that honors the Lord. Numerous artists perform versions of "O Holy Night" that really move my heart. I mean its a deep thing, a love for Jesus thing. Because He is the reason for the season. Forget the presents. Forget Santa Clause. Jesus is Christmas. Lose sight of that, you loose sight of everything.
Now I know scholars will debate that in all actuality Jesus was probably born in the springtime. BUT we now celebrate it in the dead of winter. Why? To counteract pagans who celebrate the winter solstice. Think about Santa Claus, Satan's clause; a deceivers way of trying to seal the spotlight away from where the real emphasis should be.
I am wholehearted convinced that we can NEVER honor Jesus enough for what He did for for us. I mean can you believe He left Heaven for Earth, to show us the way, for the cross the grave, our debt to pay. Lord we should all lift Your name on high. Sure I just made my argument using lyrics from another popular, worship song, which is sung in many churches around the world: "Lord We Lift Your Name on High".
To me Christmas is a time to worship, worship a God who stepped out of His comfort zone to really do something extraordinary; namely, live among us mortals. Christmas is not a time of family -- though those who would like your to take your eyes off the manger would like you to do. Don't get me wrong, I like family. I have a good one see --
Brenda (my brother's wife), Derek (my brother), my dad (I'd say his name but that would compromise my true identity so in classic Bruce Wayne form we'll just leave it at that -- dad), my mom, Brycen (my brother's son), E.C. Henry, and my aunt, Denny: who at one was a stone's throw away from becoming a bonefide nun in the Catholic Church.
Though I love my family; Christmas is NOT FAMILY. It's meaning is deeper. It's meaning is the revealing of Jesus.
"Hark, the herald angel's sing, glory to the newborn king."
Christmas is a time when Heaven literally touches Earth. Angels visit and tell sheppards about Jesus' birth. And why was that? I think it's because God is the ultimate writer of them all; He told sheppard's about the True Shepard who was coming to guard His flock and protect them eternally. You see we in modern society don't give God nearly the credit He deserves. Christmas was God's idea, and we should be celebrating that. I mean how many people out there want to hear more from God? Well, if that's the case, shouldn't we honor what He's already done in our midst?
Christmas is Jesus. Wanna find TRUE Christmas magic. Gotta look to the manger to see that; Emmanuel: God with us! Amazing.
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