Decorating Joy

I love the holiday season. Anyone who knows me knows how much joy it brings me and how uplifting the Christmas season can really be. I go all out for this holiday season, I honestly deck the halls. Some of you may be thinking that Christmas is not about how many lights you have up, or how many decorations you can hang up. You may also think that I overdo everything about this season. I mean I wear twenty five different Christmas outfits in the month of December. I sound a little (sometimes more) crazy for decorating every tissue box, door, frame, bed, lights and many other things. I know exactly what this holiday is really about but I go about it a little differently in the days leading up to that special night than others.

I have believed in Santa my entire life and when I found out who puts the gifts under the tree I didn't care. I know that some believers think that kids idolize Santa at Christmas time which is completely against our belief system but there is a way to teach about Santa without making him more important than the Lord. My parents never out right said that Santa was below God but in our house, but we were taught that Santa is just part of the holiday, while Jesus is the meaning, and the reason for this holiday. I remember that I always pictured Santa being one of God's angels. While other kids thought that the elves were Santa's helpers I ignored the elves because I believed that Santa was one of God's helpers.

Now, every time I put a decoration up, whether it be a stocking, a sticker, the tree, or an ornament, I thank God. Every time I look around my room and my home, or my church I feel so blessed. Something as small as a mini stocking fills me with joy and the love of Christ. Without Him there would be no reason for me to celebrate. This holiday makes me so happy because this is when we got the greatest gift that could have ever been given to us. There are people in countries who believe in Christ but they are not allowed to show it, a lot of them have to hide out because if they become known believers they and their families will be killed. They too have the love of Christ but they can't celebrate the way that we can. They cannot be filled with joy every time they see a Christmas tree (if they can even find one). 

You all know that I have been struggling for the past month. I have watched all of my joy and hope slip through my fingers like sand. I stand firm in my faith but the sorrow lingers. This holiday season for me is a chance at finding that joy again. I came across a verse today that gave me chills while I read it.

"So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy." John 16:22 

God has promised me joy, and just reading those words and thinking about how happy the holiday season makes me I realized that maybe this is my joy. This is my reminder to rejoice in the Lord and rejoice in my life. God will bring me joy and I am beyond ready for it to come.

So I challenge you to stop treating this holiday as if it were another annoying, worldly event. We have the chance to make this holiday be what it is supposed to be about. Do not judge those who decorate like there's no tomorrow because while you sit there and make comments about them, you are filled with unpleasantness while they are filled with joy. If you have the joy of Christmas and the joy of the Lord inside of you use this holiday season to spread this joy. We are so blessed to be able to decorate and to be able to spread the word of the Lord. Please be joyous this season. We all need some joy and this is a great time to find your joy. Today and the rest of this season, I want you to look at every Christmas decoration that you have up and stop for a moment and give thanks to the Lord for everything He has done in your life.