December, 2024 – Happy Birthday, Jesus – You are Enough!
I was shocked one year when I was teaching in the Providence (RI) Public School System to hear one of my students say, “I hate Christmas”. And, even more shocked when I found out that there were others who held the same sentiment. Sitting in a membership class several years ago at a church in Foxboro, MA, one of the questions the associate pastor asked us just as a warm-up question was, “What are your feelings about Christmas?” Even though it was mid-July, my answer was that I loved Christmas so much, I wish it came twice a year! However, over the years, my thoughts of the secular celebration of Christmas began to fall somewhere in between the student’s thoughts and my thoughts about the holiday. As a matter of fact, for a few years, I absolutely hated/dreaded Christmas myself – not the celebration of the Savior’s birth, but of all the trappings, the celebrations sans Jesus.
Growing up in Maine, Christmas was most wonderful!! My Dad would go out into the woods and cut our tree down, trim it so that it was perfectly and evenly shaped – and then my siblings and I would all grab our favorite ornament and place it where everyone could see it on the tree. The holiday foods were wonderful – extra special, and the best part was celebrating our Lord’s birth at our church.
While raising my three sons, the holiday was beyond wonderful! A friend walked into my home at one time and said, “It’s just like I’m walking into Christmas!” Besides some store-bought baubles, lights and trim, the tree itself was like a ‘memory tree’. From the star on the top that we acquired on a family vacation in Canada – to my son’s handmade ornaments that they had made at school – to precious ornament-gifts from extended family, and friends, it bought me more joy and warmth than you could imagine. Every morning before I got my boys up for breakfast – and to get ready for school, I made sure the tree’s lights were turned on. I wanted them to feel the awe, too. Oh, there are so many memories and stories . . . !
But that all came to a screeching halt! As my sons moved out and I became an empty-nester, there was no one to get a tree for – no one to cook all the holiday foods for – Christmas had come to an end, as I knew it. I sank into depression! No longer did I watch any Christmas programs on TV – I couldn’t bear to listen to Christmas music – I dreaded Christmas!! – not the celebration of our Savior, but all the rest with what much of the world has replaced the real meaning of the day. Knowing I had to do better, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, I chose to begin spending the day with just Jesus – in the Word – desiring a deeper fellowship with the ‘Birthday Boy’. On a few of the holidays, I visited nursing homes – even volunteered to cat-sit at a local shelter so that a worker who did have family could have the day off to enjoy it with loved ones. As time went on, I began to travel to spend Christmas with my sons. I loved it that they just wanted me. But, there was really no having part in the festivities, I was just a guest – there was no familiarity about it from what I had known from childhood – I didn’t even want to be there for the day, but I loved being with my family – and being wanted.
Well, that was then – and this is now. I have no recourse ever again, but to focus on our Heavenly Father’s amazing gift to us at this time of year! The gift of His precious, One and only Son to each of us. I have sensed His asking me, “Dawn, am I not enough?” Oh yes, Jesus! You are enough!! In Hebrew, Jewish people have sung an upbeat song, “Dayenu” for over a thousand years at the time of Passover. I have come to use this word at any time of the year – including my ‘nowadays Christmases’. The word, ‘dayenu’ means ‘it would have been enough/sufficient’. (The word ‘day’ in Hebrew is ‘enough’ – and enu, ‘to us’.) So, again – yes, Jesus! For Your coming to a lowly, smelly manger some two-thousand years ago – to Your give Your life for me (for any and everyone), You are sufficient! You are more than enough . . . !!
A most Blessed, Loving, and very Merry Christmas to you all! He IS:
