Holiday Wisdom

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“A Bit of Holiday Wisdom.”

All of us have special people in our lives. One of my special friends is a real “day brightener.” I love her because she is always full of encouragement and complimentary of anything she thinks I’ve done well. Everyone needs a friend like this.

As we chatted one day, I asked her, “What should I write in my next article?” Without missing a beat she responded, “Tell them to put the thanks back in Thanksgiving and Christ back in Christmas.” My friend has gained a lot of wisdom in her 80-plus years, and this is wise advice.

I am unashamedly a traditionalist. I dislike the term “turkey day” in place of Thanksgiving, and wince when I see Christmas abbreviated as “X-mas.” This takes the emphasis off the meaning of these wonderful holidays and made them just another reason for a long weekend off work.

When the economy takes a downturn or we go through a personal time of struggle, it is easy to question, “What do I have to be thankful for when everything is going wrong?” The answer is simple. Everything!

When compared to many parts of the world, most of us are abundantly blessed with material goods. Our greatest blessings, however, are not tied to our bank accounts. It is impossible to place a value on the love of family, the joy of friendships, the security of good neighbors, and the fellowship of other believers. Our greatest blessing of all, however, is having a faithful and loving God.

Thanksgiving (the holiday) has passed for another year, but thankfulness is not about one day of the year. Thanksgiving is an attitude of the heart. Now we are rushing into the busyness of the Christmas season.

If we equate a Merry Christmas with lots of presents under the tree, we may feel dissatisfied when the budget is tight and presents are few. I remember my father’s stories of childhood Christmases. His gifts were meager—an orange, a few pieces of candy or nuts, and perhaps a toy car. But the sparseness of his gifts did not diminish the joy of the day. He felt safe and loved. Those were the gifts that filled his heart.

The child of God should fill every day with gratitude for God’s goodness. Just as we want our gifts to be acknowledged and appreciated by the recipient, God longs for us to show our appreciation for the abundant blessings we receive from His hand.

“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High”

(Psalm 92:1).

Instead of bemoaning the things we do not have, let us choose to be thankful for what we do possess. The costliest gift is meaningless without love. And that is what Christmas is really about—the love of our Lord coming to us. Christmas is about Christ.

And so, my wise friend, I have shared your message. This holiday season is really about a thankful heart and the Christ who gives us His perfect gift of love.

This article is dedicated to the special friends and encouragers God has placed in our lives. They help us recognize the things that really matter.

(Information from: Pure Ministry Newsletter – UPCI Ladies Ministries – ladiesconnections-upci.org@shared1.ccsend.com)