The Magic of Christmas

It never fails at this time of year. Whether or not the past year had been the best or worst, everything seems to fade needlessly into the background around the holidays. Why is that?

Last Christmas had the potential to be rather unpleasant. Maybe it was because it would be my first Christmas ever spent away from my family, maybe it was because I was totally bummed that hubby and I would be alone in our brand new house for the holidays, and maybe it was because we just weren't getting along because we both woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I remember thinking, "Damn, what a crappy Christmas!" Talk about a Bah, Humbug attitude! Hubby and I decided to check out this one church for their midnight service. It was about an hour away from where we lived. It turned out to be one of the most beautiful services I have ever attended- from the symphony of music and songs, to the message of Christmas, it was just what I needed to melt away the negative vibes I was feeling. But to top it all off, as we walked out after the service, it started to lightly snow. It was beautiful...it was magical.

For many, Christmas is about the busyness of all the shopping for that perfect gift. The words of this one Christmas song that our 3rd Graders performed at our show sums it up on point, "It's traffic, it's people, it's lots of noise, it's busy moms and dads, it's cranky boys and girls...it's ringin' and singin', it's street corner elves, it's every shopper's dream, every one for themselves, it's sights that you can't possibly find anywhere else, it's Christmas in the city." The commericialization of this holiday has gotten people so engrossed in the spirit of shopping that the true meaning and spirit of Christmas has been lost. It really is sad. I get on my soapbox about forgetting the true meaning of Christmas, but at the same time, I buy into it myself because let's face it, it doesn't seem like Christmas unless there are gifts to give. But it really is the wrong mentality to have.

Where is the magic?

At last night's midnight church service, the pastor began his message with an eye-opener. He wanted to share some pictures of his family and his neighborhood, but the pics that popped up on screen didn't only include sweet pics of his wife and kids, but also those of the Earth (his neighborhood). He continued to share how certain catastrophies befell different parts of his neighborhood: a tsunami, an earthquake, hurricanes and floods, starvation, war. It was such an in-your-face reality check that we all needed and the effect was so profound. There is a prophecy in the Bible that talks about the coming of a Messiah who would also be called the "Prince of Peace." But where is the peace in all of this? Where is the peace in our world? Why is there so much disaster and death when there should be peace?

A few days ago, hubby and I finally watched "Hotel Rwanda." As I watched this movie, it made me realize how naive I had been about the world. For those of you who have not seen "Hotel Rwanda," in a nutshell, it's about a civil war in Rwanda between the Tutsi and Hutu peoples and while one side is trying to eradicate the race of the other, there was one man who risked so much to save so many. This all happened in 1994. In 1994, I was in my second year of college, probably having way too much fun. How is it that I never heard of this incident in Rwanda? I will shamefully admit that I was never big on world events. I did not follow what was going on in the world around me and perhaps it was because I was in a selfish state of mind. There is a part in the movie where the main character expresses how glad he is that the situation had been caught on film and would be aired worldwide. It would hopefully generate aid to their country and put a stop to all the unnecessary murders. There is a line spoken by Joaquin Phoenix that sums up how people view such disasters so far away from our immediate neighborhoods, "When people see this on the news, they will think to themselves, 'Oh, that's so terrible!', but after that, they will continue eating their dinner." That's the sad reality of our world. We care, but not enough to really do anything about it.

Where is the peace in all of that?

The peace lies within ourselves. We have to WANT it. Because if we WANT it bad enough, it will force us to take action. The pastor then went into the spirit of gift giving. In fact, he spoke about the gift that God is willing to give to us time and time again. It is a gift that He does not force upon people, but with it, peace could be possible. That gift is forgiveness.

His challenge for us was, "Who are you going to forgive tomorrow?" Everyone has heard of the whole "forgive and forget" thang. And let me tell you from my experience, forgiveness is not an easy thing. There are a lot of things that have happened in my life from my elementary days to the present that have been yearning for that signal that everything will be ok. It's tough and it's something that I struggle with everyday. But then I have to ask myself, how willing am I to have peace? Do I want it bad enough? Am I ready to let bygones be bygones and move on? It's a struggle that I keep praying will get easier with passing day. It's so beyond my comprehension that someone as mighty as God can send His only Son into this world to die and save US from sin. What an awesome God that He is!

Christmas worked its magic once again last night. It didn't snow like last year (thank goodness!), but the essence of the midnight service spoke to me in so many different ways. Whether it was heartfelt music of the Christmas carols that sang of Jesus' birth, or the candlelit sanctuary that filled the room, or simply the message of forgiveness- it was all there. All of the drama that has been troubling me faded away. The focus that had been on ME, ME, ME meant nothing. The only thing that mattered was having peace...peace in the world, peace with our neighbors, and most importantly, peace within ourselves.

*From the bottom of my heart, wishing ya'll a very Merry Christmas...love, joy, and PEACE to you all for the new year and always...

MALIGAYANG PASKO AT MANIGONG BAGONG TAON!!!