A Simple Christmas

Have you noticed that there seems to be lots of conversations leaning toward “simplifying Christmas” and focusing more on Jesus lately?

Simple Christmas – It’s everywhere, and It’s a good thing.  

After all, the first Christmas was quite simple, too.

Circumstances were far from ideal… yet they were God-ordained and God-purposed perfectly for His work in and through every life touched on that silent night.

It certainly wasn’t picture-perfect... yet it was in the sense that we place pictures of it all around us during this time of year.  Why do we do that if it wasn’t beautiful in some heart-sense of the truest-deepest beauty?

I think love manger scenes because they remind us of the reality of the Single Thing we celebrate at Christmas.  The One and Only Thing that Christmas really is.  Jesus entering this world-gone-wrong-desperately-needing-a-Savior-and-not-even-realizing-it.  Jesus.  Quietly arriving wherever He would be received.  Welcomed by whomever would open hearts and hands to Him.  This is Simply Christmas.

The other day, my talented (and I mean T.A.L.E.N.T.E.D.!) friend, Ashley Anderton, shared some beautiful words and the progress of a finger painting she did of a Simple Christmas.  I asked her if I could share this on the blog and she graciously gave permission.  It’s beautiful – both in word and picture, and expresses the cry of my heart during this particular  Christmas season, especially.  Soak this in and be blessed:

Reminding myself of the reason we even have Christmas. Thought I would try to place myself there for a little while today through finger painting.

It was so simple there in the manger.

No Christmas carols.
No Christmas CDs or Christmas movies.

No Black Friday. 
No cyber Monday.

No Santa Claus.
No cookie swaps.

No ugly sweater contests.
No family drama.

 

No Christmas recipes.
No drive through light extravaganzas.

No perfect Christmas card pictures.
Just Jesus.

The Light of the world

bringing back Life to the world. 

I needed to remind myself of that when I begin to look around and feel like I am behind on something Christmassy.
I am really not.
Not at all.

© Ashley Anderton 2015

A Simple Christmas.  That’s what our family is having this year.

Due to circumstances less than ideal (and we all have them, don’t we? – ours this Christmas is that Abigail isn’t healing well from her surgery and we have been dealing with the various results of that,  finishing her 1st semester senior year school work at home, and now treatments of wound care several hours away from our home, several times a week) many of my “normal” Christmas preparations have been left undone, and my house is a basic mess.  It seems that I just can’t “get it together” this year, so our Christmas time celebration will not be picture perfect.

But that’s the beauty of it.  Really.

This “messed up” less-than-ideal-circumstances-and-non-perfection-attainable-Christmas leaves the door wide open for the focus to be fully on what it is meant to be upon – the simplicity of Jesus coming into the mess and bringing Salvation, Peace, and Rest for the weary soul.  

Difficulties don’t take a Christmas vacation.  But neither does Jesus.  A men?!!!

Whatever our circumstances, whatever the state of our homes, or even lack thereof… whatever the state of our hearts… let’s zero our focus in on Jesus, God’s Gift to you.  God’s Gift to me.  Let’s celebrate Jesus, unwrap Him, look at Him in awe and wonder… and simply enjoy This Gift this Christmas, and not worry so much about everything else.  Let’s give everything else to God, ask for Help, keep our focus on Jesus, and know that everything else will eventually work out one way or another, anyway!

Simple Christmas.  Personally, I think this might be the sweetest Christmas after all.

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”  Matthew 6:34 (MSG) 

I’m praying for you all~  With love,