Strangely Dim

If you've talked to me at all this Christmas season, you've probably noticed a bit (okay, a lot) of "bah humbug" in my attitude.  I'm tired of buying stuff, the constant school parties and charity requests, the "75% off!  Get it now!" emails.  I'm dreading the baking and wrapping and just all of it.  Don't get me wrong, I do love Christmas.  I love giving and twinkly lights and chocolate.  For some reason this year though... it's all too much.  And there's so little of Jesus in it.  As the old hymn says "turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace."  It sure doesn't seem like the things of earth are strangely dim in this season.  It sure seems like the things of earth are bright and shiny and flat-out blinding.

How do we show our kids (or ourselves) the brilliance of Jesus' glory and grace, the magic of the Creator of the stinkin' universe coming to earth as a baby to rescue His people because He loves them that much??  How do we impart the weight of that when Jesus is mostly a footnote among the consumerism and chaos that is Christmas in America?  Heaven forbid our kids don't experience the "magic" of hot chocolate pajama parties and Santa showering them with gifts and elves having marshmallow snowball fights in their kitchen.  (Please don't hear me saying those things are anti-Jesus, my kids believe in Santa and we have a (very lazy) elf on the shelf.)  We do an advent calendar to keep Jesus in the daily conversation, and we make no kind of big deal about Santa or gifts or any of that, but I also know that if you ask my kids what happens on Christmas, they're gonna say PRESENTS!

[And if you might allow me to take my grumps to the extreme, even buying stuff for less-fortunate kids is starting to feel off to me.  We want other children to experience the joy of Christmas, so how can they possibly do that without toys?!  I know that sounds terrible, and I do want my kids and others to enjoy Christmas and to have something they love under the tree, but man.  I told you it was Extreme Grump.]

So if you find yourself like me, weary and desperately trying to claw through the clutter to find Jesus, maybe this quote will bring you some clarity like it did for me.  It's of course from my main man Dietrich Bonhoeffer, written when he was in prison: "I think we’re going to have an exceptionally good Christmas. The very fact that outward circumstance precludes our making provision for it will show whether we can be content with what is truly essential. I used to be very fond of thinking up and buying presents, but now that we have nothing to give, the gift God gave us in the birth of Christ will seem all the more glorious … The poorer our quarters, the more clearly we perceive that our hearts should be Christ’s home on earth."  No matter what trimmings and activities you choose this season, may that be the prayer of our hearts.  That all the "stuff" may bring some extra fun and cheer, but they will seem strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

Photo credit to Sarah Browning