Where Are You, Christmas? by Faith Hill
I love Christmas! All the ho, ho, hos and the fa la la la las. The smell of fresh pine and the taste of peppermint hot cocoa. All the hustle and bustle at the mall and grocery store. The pretty lights and the winter snows. And bring on Buddy the Elf, Cousin Eddie, and John McClane (yes, Die Hard is definitely a Christmas movie).
But there’s something different about Christmas this year. COVID-19 has taken so much from us all, so it’s easy to let it be the Grinch that stole Christmas, too. Based on an annual survey done by the Siena College Research Institute, they found that only 59% of New Yorkers are excited about this holiday season. And according to SCRI Director, Don Levy, “over a quarter of New Yorkers are coming into the holiday season saying that no matter how hard they try, the pandemic will take the joy out of the holidays.” But I don’t think we need a poll to see that. In talking with some of my patients and reading posts on social media, I’ve heard a similar sentiment.
This is not how I planned on spending the last couple weeks leading up to Christmas either. Decorating the tree, hanging the stockings by the fireplace, hanging the advent calendar my grandma made me, doing gingerbread houses… Though I love it all, I was really looking forward to sharing all that joy with our foster child(ren). Though it was fun watching Santa come down our street in a horse-drawn carriage to greet the kids in our neighborhood, it was also a reminder of the empty cribs upstairs. We’ve gone so many holidays hopeful of being parents, and we are nearing yet another one. I had some really fun plans for this Christmas, too. We didn’t even send out Christmas cards this year because not having a child yet kind of put the kabosh on my great idea for a photo card.
But just because this Christmas is maybe not how we had planned does not mean that there isn’t joy. That’s because the joy of Christmas does not lie in our circumstances or our past. It lies in Jesus Christ, and the salvation we have in Him. Do you think Mary planned to travel all that way on the back of a donkey so that she could have her baby in a stable? Something tells me the first Christmas was different from what Mary had planned. But it turned out far greater than anything she could have ever imagined.
Immanuel means God with us. Not distant or above us, but with us. God closed the distance, which is the good news Christmas brings. Are you feeling lonely, scared, heartbroken, or weary? Maybe you just need Christmas. And I’m not talking the fruitcake and spiked eggnog kind of Christmas. I’m talking about true Christmas. Though we may forget Him, God will never forget us. He is always near us. Always for us. Always in us. “The joy of Christmas stays here inside us, fills each and every heart with love.”
Where are you Christmas Why can't I find you Why have you gone away Where is the laughter You used to bring me Why can't I hear music play My world is changing I'm rearranging Does that mean Christmas changes too Where are you Christmas Do you remember The one you used to know I'm not the same one See what the time's done Is that why you have let me go Christmas is here Everywhere, oh Christmas is here If you care, oh If there is love in your heart and your mind You will feel like Christmas all the time Oh, I feel you Christmas I know I've found you You never fade away, oh The joy of Christmas Stays here inside us Fills each and every heart with love Where are you Christmas Fill your heart with love
Those empty cribs will soon be filled with a child(ren) that will know more love than they can ever imagine. ❤️❤️
Talk about the true meaning of Christmas. You are truly amazing and I’m so proud to call you my sister. You will be the BEST parents to and for your children and they’ll be unbelievably lucky to have you! God has a plan that only you two can fulfill for a child/children.