Well, another Holiday Season has passed us by. For me, Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year’s Day come too soon and pass too quickly. Each year, especially at Christmas, I look for an experience, or a special feeling, or singular event which makes that particular Christmas especially special. This year, I found two.
Once again, I re-read Charles Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol. The story behind how this timeless work came to be is quite unusual. As another Christmas approached, Dickens found himself deeply in debt while kinfolks were pressing him for loans. He desperately needed to create a work which could be published quickly in time to take advantage of the Holiday market. As he walked the cold and dingy streets of London at night the ideas and characters which made A Christmas Carol the timely classic began to come to life. It could well be his best work, and certainly became his most memorable. Who in all the world has never heard the phrase, “Bah, Humbug!” or known of a “Scrooge” or whispered the prayer of Tiny Tim, “God bless us every one!”
A Christmas Carol is filled with so many memorable lines. A friend, Michael, reminded me of one of my favorites. In a conversation with the Ghost of Christmas Present, Ebenezer Scrooge is warned:
“Scrooge, there is never enough time to do all the things that we would wish. The thing is to do as much as you can in the time you have left. For, suddenly, one day you wake up and you aren’t there anymore!”
That’s a great thought to take into the new year. Each of us, young and old, should take the challenge to make the most of the time we have left.
Our family celebrated Christmas back at the old home place this year. Three generations were present. 14 of the 16 (ages 12 and younger) who make up the third generation were there. We were blessed with a beautiful day - clear skies and mild temperature – helped with a rolling bonfire in the front yard. (A week before the winter storm arrived.)
All the young ones were outside running and ripping and having a glorious time. I was seated at a window as I watched them in their play. And I found myself offering a Christmas blessing for each one. And I smiled as I considered each one’s uniqueness. And I wondered how each one’s life would be lived out.
I found out later that, as I was watching them, someone was watching me.
“Uncle Jack,” a niece confessed, “I saw you watching us as you sat at the window. With the Christmas tree glowing in the background, it would have made a great picture for a Hallmark Card!”
I thought, “Maybe a Norman Rockwell, titled the Old Man in the Window.”
The celebration of Christmas has the potential of being a glorious time. It can be described in many ways.
“For God loved us and sent His Son.”
“He shall be called Emmanuel, meaning God with us.”
To the shepherds the message came, “For is born to you this day in the City of David, a Savior which is Christ, the Lord.”
So what does that mean to you and me as we move into the Year of Our Lord 2023?
I propose that sometimes situations arise which are beyond us. Like when a strong and talented football player goes into cardiac arrest and grown men who have been taught that crying is a sign of weakness find themselves on their knees as tears run down their faces – and millions pause to pray.
On occasion we must be reminded to “look unto the hills…” Psalm 121
Copyright 2023 by Jack McCall
