Christmas in itself doesn’t actually make me this grumpy...enough to pull two blogs worthy of an Ebenezer Scrooge holiday expletive...but the way Christmas gets twisted and contorted, well, I could probably 'humbug' legitimately from the first time I see Santa displays being set up next to back-to-school supplies and pumpkin carving kits.
Actually, I’m starting to believe most people do.
Why else are the postures, faces, attitudes of people so continuously contorted in such a sour disposition? As if they wanted to communicate to the whole world that this season has made them less than satisfied with the life they’re living?
I have to tell you...mostly it makes me less than satisfied with the people living in my world.
There is so much “bah-humbug” (perhaps because we’re so focused on the commercialism which had me so all out of sorts for ‘Bah-Humbug! [Take 1]’) that we are missing something.
The word “missing” so precariously (but for my purpose, quite intentionally placed) could mean one of two things: It could mean forgotten, neglected, lacking. Simply not recognized because it doesn’t exist. Or could mean something similar with emotional connotations...lacking with longing...absent in a way that creates a vacancy (the way one misses her dear friend after too many days)...wanted.
I find myself noticing the vacancy, longing for the presence of this missing piece. And I sometimes, (perhaps in prideful exclusion of self), see the former, a neglect on behalf of the masses, to be the reason I am “baaahhh!-ing”.
Are you dying to know? Can you pinpoint the wanting mark on the ledger?
What is missing?
I miss joy.
JOY.
It’s not there.
I’ve been embittered (yes, I recognize my contradictory use of being bitter about missing joy), by its deficient state of being all season long.
With not even a week before Christmas, (something I can hardy fathom on a personal level), I am still waiting for the joy of the season to show up. Surprisingly (because it isn’t necessarily true for my life as a whole), there is a quiet...almost peaceful joy...sitting inside of me when I think about the Christmas I can’t believe is already upon us (perhaps I’m getting old. It just doesn’t “feel” like Christmas...). I keep trying to beg of it from other people and they stare at me with confused expressions...
This morning in church was my last straw.
With the choir and bell choir and youth group and Sunday School classes all combined to put on a Christmas program, I smirked with somewhat curious anticipation. This expectancy didn’t leave but I left...frustrated.
When did Christmas become so...stoic?
As a full congregation, we sang “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” like we didn’t know the words...mumbling a ‘hark’ almost loud enough to wake up the mice.
We managed all four verses of “The First Noel” with the resignation that it my as well have been the last. Let’s go ahead and mourn its end.
We concluded a simple and [honestly] beautiful retelling of the Christmas Story with a rendition of “Joy to the World!” where I looked around daring people to crack a smile (I didn’t know why they’d start now. Their faces looked more like they had just sat on a sharp candy cane the whole service anyway...)
My sister, Amelia, home for break, sat next to me and we endeavored to belt louder (off-key, unfortunately neither of us are musically inclined) and smile broader. We both started to laugh when the words on the screen printed “hail the sUn of righteousness” rather than “sOn” and were shot dirty looks from two members of the choir.
Heaven forbid something be funny in church! Heaven forbid we take joy in the fact that the birth of Christ marked the incarnation of God into the world of man! That the birth was the beginning of an era which has yet to end – an era where God dwells intimately with and within the people He loves... Heaven forbid!
My right toe that heaven forbids it! I think heaven is begging for it!
Since when did reverence negate the fact that “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10 – read in context, it makes the reference better)??? I feel as if the more we come to grips with how much God should be honored, adored, and feared...the more we are going to be confronted with reasons to “rejoice in the Lord always. I say it again: rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). I’m intrigued by the fact that Paul ends his instructions in the first letter to the Thessalonians by telling them to “REJOICE always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances...” and follows it by telling them not to "quench the Spirit". (1 Thessalonians 5:16-19) I mean, it is possible the instructions have nothing to do with each other, but somehow I doubt it. Somehow I feel, expressing joy is about allowing the Spirit of God (you know, God, the one whose coming we celebrate at Christmas, who came to dwell among us in the form of the baby known as Jesus, that one, you know?) free reign.
So tell you what...take your lifestyle of “Bah-Humbug!” and shove it. (Yep, I said shove it.) Stop missing out on joy as that simply forgotten something of things going on and begin to miss the joy (of Christmas and life in general) in the same way you long and want for those dearest and closest. Miss it. And then do something about it. Because Christmas is nothing if not good news with a reason for joy...
“...Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people...” Luke 2:10b
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