I
have many physical scars. Most of them from the cats. I have them on my
legs, my feet, my hands, my arms, and one on my right shoulder. Each of
them has a story. For example the one on my shoulder is from when I was
four and squishing the cat too much. I have a very faint scar on my
wrist from a spurt of boiling applesauce this past fall. And I have
numerous ones on my hands that are faint from picking up our cats.
I
also have many callouses. The soles of me feet, my heels, my hands, my
ankles, my knees and my elbows. The ones on my feet are from dancing.
They've built up over the years to protect my feet from blisters. And
the ones on my knees and elbows help protect me. For example if I was on
the floor crawling with kids, my knees wouldn't be injured, they'd be
protected. But the callouses don't always work for me. Two summers ago I
was injuring my feet constantly. From a thistle, a shell, and numerous
splinters; I wasn't building an immunity. My feet literally had to be
re-calloused.
That's how it is at Christmas. We have the broken
people full of scars from past life, those who've calloused themselves
against the world and sin, and then those who have to start afresh. Ever
since I've been thinking and getting ready for Christmas, I knew this
Christmas is going to be different. It took me a while to put my finger
on it, but then I realized it is because I've grown.
Every year,
for as long as I can remember, from July 'till Christmas I'd work and
make Christmas presents. This year I haven't. I went to CYIA training,
then we went camping, then we had the rabid fox attack, and then school
started. In the busyness I simply didn't think about Christmas presents.
I didn't think about what I'd give or what I'd get.
I know why
we celebrate Christmas. We celebrate the birth of Jesus. Jesus who is
the only Savior. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Without him, we
would never be saved from our sins. That's why he was born. To save
those who are broken and full of scars from past life, those who have
calloused themselves against the world , sin, and sometimes even God,
and then those who are ready to start life afresh.
But sometimes
in the hustle and bustle of a busy day, we forget the real purpose of
Christmas. And that's when we need to step back, take a deep breath, and
read the story of Christmas. I picked up a Bible, the other evening and
said "God, I don't know what you want me to read. Show me what you want
me to learn." I opened the Bible to Mark 13. I started in the middle of
the chapter and just read. I read about the crucifixion and
resurrection of Jesus. And then I came to the end of the book, the last
verses of Mark 16. As I flipped the page and finished the verses, I
looked to the next page. "The Gospel According to Luke". I caught my
breath.
Slowly I started reading Luke chapter 1-2. The "magic" of
Christmas is not the lights, the presents, and all the fun. The "magic"
is that Jesus cared so much he came to earth as a wee babe. When I read
that, I knew why Christmas is different this year. I've been focusing
so much on all the presents I was going to give, that I forgot the real
reason. Now I know exactly why we celebrate Christmas. I've always known
it, but never thought about it that much.
We celebrate the birth
of Jesus. Jesus who is the only Savior. He is the Way, the Truth, and
the Life. Without him, we would never be saved from our sins. That's why
he was born. To save those who are broken and full of scars from past
life, those who have calloused themselves against the world , sin, and
sometimes even God, and then those who are ready to start life afresh.
Are you ready to celebrate Christmas with me?
