Gimme Gimme

I’m thankful. How long will I be? Even today I experienced myriad things to be thankful for. Tomorrow officially begins the Christmas season all across Commerstadt.
Every year, December brings with it dread for me. I am the ultimate scrooge. These past couple years, I’ve resolved to make it different. You know the routine, in the quiet beginning of the month, you desire deeply to celebrate Jesus’ birth. You’re pensive, reflective, contemplative. Then Christmas takes over.
Will gets it. When asked what he wants for Christmas, he couldn’t think of anything. In fact, all he came up with was time. He wanted time to hang as a family, play games, make cookies. How wonderful not to want when you don’t want. How wonderful to have an accurate understanding of what you do need.
We do have needs. If we didn’t, there would be no Christmas in the first place. Somehow, we’ve begun to ignore our needs and want for other stuff. We want what we don’t need. We don’t want to need what we do need. We don’t want to be dependent on anyone. Stuff is fine. We practically brag about our dependence on stuff, but we sure won’t admit to being dependent on another being. Perhaps even when we’re content with those we’ve been given, it’s only in the perspective that they are an extra, icing on the cake.
We depend on stuff and appreciate people. At Christmas, we depend on stuff and appreciate Jesus. This Christmas, I want to desire desperately the advent of the deliverer the way Israel did during centuries of silence. I want to recognize Him when He quietly sits down beside me and breathes peace. I want to expect and hope, to contemplate the mystery. I want to be prepared to recognize Him. Not to be fooled by counterfeits. Not to be satisfied with less than what I’ve been given. I want to celebrate in a spirit of quiet thanksgiving, to hope with the essence of things unseen, feel peace that passes understanding, know love that is deeper, wider, longer, and higher than we could fathom, experience joy unspeakable and full of glory. Quiet my life, whisper my name. Amen, come Lord Jesus.