Trinity Blog

A parent-to-be’s perspective on Christmas

A baby coming really changes your perspective on Christmas. Baby Lydia – our third child – is expected to arrive on December 6th, though as Mary and Joseph knew well, you can’t necessarily predict the day and hour of the birth. There are so many things to consider as you plan for the baby’s arrival. Where will she sleep? What will she wear? Will there be enough space? Will there be enough money? Where are the car seat, stroller, and high chair?

Then there’s a different set of questions: What will she be like? What will it be like to be the father of a daughter after two boys? How will we raise her to provide discipline and also to let her know she is loved? Am I ready for the challenge?

I have to admit that I have spent more time and energy on that first set of questions, even though in the long run, are they the ones that really matter? The practical and material questions scream for my attention. The other questions lie waiting for a quiet moment here or there… They end up getting only the small fraction of my time that is unscheduled and “unproductive” – like the time before I get to sleep at night, if I happen not to be thinking about those material things.

Christmas comes with two sets of questions too. Where are the decorations? Which events will I attend? What do I want for Christmas? What will I get everyone for Christmas?

And then there’s the other set of questions. What does it mean for God to enter our world? What place have I made for the baby Jesus in my heart? How will I honor Jesus in my life this Christmas season?

It’s really easy to focus on the practical and material questions. They scream for our attention. Television ads, store displays, and even our calendars demand our time and energy. When do we take the time to think about Jesus himself? Or the miracle of incarnation – of God entering the world as a tiny, powerless child? When do we have time to think about the right way to respond to God’s unparalleled gift to us? And how many of the things we do with our time and resources help us to live out what Jesus taught?

Should we have fun at Christmastime? Definitely! Don’t forget that this is the same Jesus who was condemned by his opponents for spending too much time eating and drinking with people. The church has some fun stuff planned too. We also need time to reflect. Our Wednesday night ministry (FIRE) will be offering time to reflect on and discuss the meaning of Christmas, and on Sunday mornings in Advent (the four weeks before Christmas) on Christmas Eve itself, we will definitely have opportunities for reflection. Finally, we need time to serve and give. Ultimately, that’s what Jesus said should characterize the lives of his followers. How do we show love and bring hope into the lives of those around us?

I’m working on switching to the second set of questions about baby Lydia. We’ll figure out the material things, and we already have what the things we really need. I look forward to meeting Lydia and experiencing the joy she will bring into my life. I’m also looking forward to meeting Jesus anew this year at Christmas, and seeing what joy he brings as I give myself to him again.

Looking forward to Jesus’ arrival once again with you,

Pastor Steve

This entry was posted on Friday, November 23rd, 2007 at 1:33 pm and is filed under Pastor's Newsletter Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.