Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all who read this blog!

Many of us strive for the hope of an ideal home during the holidays. But this year, as in years past, I am reminded that some of us are in less than perfect situations. This morning, I took the day's first phone call from a victim of domestic violence. Holiday stress has been piling up just like the stack of packages under the tree from Santa. The caller didn't want to leave, she just wanted to reach out and hear the reassurance that someone cared about her and her little one.

There is no such thing as normal stress during the holiday season. The car that doesn't run as well as we'd like and the bill that goes unpaid add to the desire to out-purchase, out-wrap and out-celebrate everyone else. Our advertising driven media is there to convince us to do our part to help stimulate the economy. Nonprofits take out ads urging us to give to the poor and our children beg for the latest gadget when what they really might rather have is extra time with mom or dad.

But Christmas isn't about a kinetic frenzy of commercialism. It's about a tiny child born and laid in a manger in the stillness of a perfect night. Christ is a respite for the weary; a restorer of souls and a safe haven for those who choose to take time out, be still and know that He is God.