Thursday, October 28, 2021

The Christmas Vs. Thanksgiving Battle And Truth

Hi, Dear Friends,
I think I have the best readers in all of the internet.
Feeling understood as I put my thoughts into words is quite amazing. 
Your comments on my last post warmed my heart.  Thank you. 
I hope and pray that you are well. 


As if there weren't enough battles on the internet, in the last few years the early Christmas decorators have faced off with the Thanksgiving maintainers. Each group is steadfast in their belief that their holiday reigns supreme. 


I am an early Christmas decorator. Last year, I thought this would sooth my heart. 
Nope! The holidays were extremely difficult. I'm trying to hold back from the urge to decorate early this year. While, I don't think that the holidays will be as strange as last year, I think they will still have a degree of strange and lonely. I'm not looking forward to that. 
Aside from my crafting projects, I'm trying to remain in the moment and enjoy my fall decor. That is a struggle for me, because I'm always waiting for the next decorating season. Crafting for the upcoming season or holiday is one of my favorite things to do. 


As I've contemplated another odd holiday season, this Thanksgiving vs. Christmas competition popped into my head. 
Why this is a thing, I don't know because there are way too many disagreements on the internet. 


As a Christian, a heart of gratitude and thanksgiving should be a daily part of my existence. 40 days of thankfulness has been a thing to go around with my group. I think it has value and it is a benefit to my soul. A lot of the strong thankfulness promoters already live a life of gratitude. A grateful heart pulls one out of self thought. A heart of thanksgiving automatically puts one's eyes on the giver of gifts. This is so important.


Nothing pulls me out of a pit of self pity like praying for others. Praying for random strangers I pass on the street is a new favorite thing to do. I pray that the Lord would strengthen them and draw them close. 
It puts an end to pity party pretty quickly.  Prayers of gratitude do the same thing. 

 
Keeping Christmas in "its place" is a fine idea if one were to be unaware of the true meaning of Christmas. It should always have a place far beyond December.  


Instead of 40 days thankfulness, how about the next 58 days of Christmas? It's said that people are more open to conversations about faith near Christmas. I want to take advantage of that. I've already begun contemplating scripture about the birth of my Savior. 
My prayer is that those that don't know Him would come to faith and relationship with Jesus Christ. 

My brother used to call me a Jesus Freak. That dates me, I'm sure. 
He said that my faith was a crutch. Okay. It's a crutch that I'll take.
My faith has seen me though very hard times. I honestly don't know where I would be...


I've tried to imagine what it was like waiting for the birth of the Savior. It is said that there is a 400 year gap in the Scriptures where God was silent. 
Silence...

Waiting...

The last year and a half has felt like that. 
We're waiting and wondering. Will life ever return to normal? Is God silent? 


I've been a little mad at myself that I've not been stronger in this trial. 
A guilty voice suggests that others have it far worse than I. 
I was a Children's Director and Woman's minister, a woman's Bible study leader. 
"I should be strong." 
I'm not. 


Unfortunately, I'm very acquainted with grief. This season feels like grief. 
There were relationships and things that were regularly part of my life. 
Church, home group, work, dinners with family and friends, the list goes on and on. Those things are not happening and if they are, there is something different about them. 


If I'm struggling, how about those that don't have faith as an anchor? 


"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned." 
Isaiah 9:2 



This holiday season, I hope that I am a reflector of light. I may feel fragile at times but I hope that I can help point other fragile people toward the Light that breaks the darkness and heals the soul. 
He is God with us at Thanksgiving and Christmas. 
I wish you peace, my friends,
Katie 
 

8 comments :

  1. Faith is not a crutch, it is our life. Satan is most willing to pick at our faith, tell us we don't need it. The Father is will us at all times and all we need to do is call on Him. I just read Susan Freeman's blog post and she is having more health issues.

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  2. If we could all live each day of life as though it was Christmas and Thanksgiving. We need to feel grateful and blessed for all the good things that happen in each day we are given. With that said sometimes life takes a hold of us and we forget to be grateful and thankful each day. Good post sweet friend. Lots to think about. I am one of those early Christmas decorators. My daughter does Thanksgiving so I can get an early start on my decorating. We still look forward to celebrating Thanksgiving all together.

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  3. What a beautiful post. I totally agree with you about the Lord. I am so thankful I have Him to lean on moment by moment. I’m 75 now. I find I need Him even more. I want to concentrate on being more thankful because I am very guilty about having pity parties because I cannot do the things I use to enjoy. Staying home 99.5% of the time is not fun but that little tiny percent I can go out I should be more thankful even if it’s to the doctor.😏😅

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  4. Another thoughtful and thought provoking post. I am one of those that wants to enjoy my Thanksgiving and fall decorations and always said that Christmas decorating should wait until after Thanksgiving. I've probably been a bit snooty about it, to tell the truth. It's actually silly for me to judge which decorations anyone 'should' have up at any time of year - I'm usually a 'you do you' kind of person :-) Your post shifted my paradigm - I can look at it as 'Santa can wait until well after Thanksgiving' but Jesus and the anticipation of the celebration of His birth can (and dare I say should) be enjoyed and reflected on anytime throughout the year. Those who say that faith is a crutch must think that having something to support us is a bad thing. I feel very sad for those who don't have faith and think that this world is all there is. I wish I was more eloquent - but thank you for sharing your thoughts and faith with us.

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    1. Thank you for this. I love your comment. I do a lot of Santa anyway. A friend's Nativity stayed out all year.

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  5. I believe is stronger at Christmas -- or at least for those for whom those holidays were shared with one(s) no longer here. I know it is for me, partly because of December losses and partly because of who those losses are. Plus, we have much to grieve in these past year or so besides death. Our losses have been tremendous, stress great.

    To me, Christmas is more than a day or a season. I try to -- as Dickens said -- keep it in my heart all year, every day. The same with gratitude. Your post really is beautifully written and so thought provoking so thanks for that.

    As for decorating, I do hate seeing Christmas in any store but a craft store before Halloween. When I saw it around Labor Day in Lowes I was distressed! I don't decorate till the day after Thanksgiving -- or Thanksgiving day, if I'm not hosting. But by then everything is ready to steam roll through the day after! This year, I've barely been able to get fall up. Striking that scene will be pretty quick! This year, I don't know. I'm not sure I have the physical stamina or emotional wherewithall to do what I usually do. We'll see.

    I hope you find peace throughout this holiday season.

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  6. Thank you Katie for this post. I think most of us have felt a sense of great loss over the last 18 months or so. I know I have and I have also wondered "where is God?" Having a strong faith does not mean we don't also have moments of fear and loneliness. It seems like our world as we knew it is gone forever. I truly hope and pray that is not the case. I also have never understood why people need to criticize if someone wants to decorate for Christmas in October. That is their choice even if it is not yours. There are no "rules". We may think God is silent but I believe He is sending a LOUD message to all of us and I pray that this world will see the light of Jesus. I like your idea of praying for random people you see on a daily basis. What a blessing for those who are unaware. Your blog is a blessing. Thank you!

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    1. Thank you so much for this. It means so much. I totally understand why we could feel God is silent. He is not and hopefully, we can encourage those who are without hope.

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