A different kind of Christmas.
This year’s festive season is a bit different from the norm my husband and I have created for our family. Unlike other Christmas seasons since being married, this is the first time in a long time we would be in UK for the holidays. We always found a place to visit to have a taste of different regions and cultures during the holidays. Most places we have been to is pretty much the same really, with the same excitement and state of enthusiasm involved in everyone at everywhere. Re-unions of families, friends, colorful decors with lights up, snow most of time the but never stopped the festivities, loads of shopping, presses, eating, (you name it) was consistent in places we visited.
Not only is my location this year for the holidays different, I find my state of mind is also different. For some reason I have found myself literally counting my precious blessings, I feel more in tune with every reason I have for being alive and have this profound cause to celebrate life more than ever before.
Listening to an inspiring message one evening, I got lost in thought (not sure if it was as a result of the message or moments where my thoughts get the better of me or both) wondering genuinely what am going to do differently this time around for the holidays. The best my husband and I have done was to volunteer in Crisis Charity, serving the homeless over boxing day (when we came back to town from Christmas trips) and our local church, Jesus House, have an initiative called Lunch on Jesus where communities around the area are given essential Christmas food items, on behalf of the church, and we are privileged to be contributors to this as well but this didn’t seem enough to me, at least not anymore.
We (my family and I) live in a Close, with 14 other neighbours in their individual town houses. It looks like my neighbours have all they need for this year’s Christmas however I couldn’t help asking myself what can I do or give to them this year. The most interesting part for me was that I had come to a point where I was thinking of others and not myself especially over this festive season. By now I would have hinted to my family what I wanted for Christmas and it would be all about us but here I am, planning on sharing love with neighbors I do not see let alone know. Reflecting on Mathew 5v16 (AMP version) which says:
16Let your light so shine before men that they may see your[a]moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and [b]recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven
I politely declined the offer for a gift from my family (to my shock) and delved into a productive discussion with my husband on what we can and should do for our neighbours to share the reason behind the celebration and as I write this article, I can honestly say that I am sure this holidays will be the best one ever simply because I am doing something different, knowing that God will grow this little seed my family and I have sown for the Kingdom. Want to know what we did? Email us at walkwithme@dvsoul.org.uk
So, how about you? What are you doing differently this season?
