What a Difference a Year Makes!
Last year wasn’t a typical “Merry Christmas” for a lot of people. It wasn’t for us. It was six months after leaving Ohio for Texas, and we had no place of our own. Kathy’s dad had passed away in September. We’d been staying with and assisting my parents, and had just helped them with their decision to move into a care facility. This meant we were helping to empty out their house while preparing to vacate it ourselves. So, no decorations adorned the house and no real holiday spirit pervaded inside. We had no clarity on where we’d wind up. We didn’t have a church, and while we had just settled on accepting the gracious offer to join Indigenous Ministries, much was unknown. It was the first Advent season in 33 years that I didn’t preach an Advent series (the only live sermon I gave in that season was at my father-in-law’s graveside service). We didn’t send out a Christmas letter or card, again a first miss in decades. Any Christmas letter requires a brief and generally positive recounting of the year’s events, but I just wasn’t up to it. Trying to sound the right note in summarizing such a strange and painful year was too much in that moment.
Twelve months later, I’m sitting on the couch of our townhome in Garland, looking at our new tree and stockings hanging by our faux fireplace. Outside, our Christmas lights are shining (first time in years I’ve put some up). I’ve been working to memorize the songs our men’s chorus will be singing for our church’s Christmas party and Christmas Eve service. Presents are wrapped under the tree—mainly Kathy’s work, as I’m a late wrapper. Our Christmas cards have been sent. Our kids will all be around right after Christmas. We’ll go over and spend part of Christmas Day with my parents. In short, much feels like a return to a “normal, but different” setting.
A Christmas season that wasn’t what we would have wanted has been followed by one that represents many resolutions, answers, and blessings we longed for. Multiple times, Kathy and I have looked at each other and remarked that we cannot believe how much has taken place to make this Christmas so different.
Christmas lights at the Millers’ place!
Notice, I didn’t say, “better,” although I was tempted to. I refrained because I cannot look back a year and see what God accomplished in us and for us as bad, even though there was much pain and loss involved. It was the necessary work God wanted to perform in and around us, to shape us for the next steps in our obedience. Like many of you have experienced, it becomes a season that you would never want to repeat but yielded fruit you never would have experienced otherwise.
Maybe as you come through this Advent season on the way to Christmas, you are having a “return to “kind of normal” Christmastime. Last year’s losses may be less hard to remember and this year is carrying some new joys. Perhaps the pandemic isn’t ruining everything anymore, but it’s changed things, too. And the raft of other changes any year brings means things may feel different, but still OK. If you are in that situation with us, rejoice! All those psalms that speak of sorrows being short-lived have once again been shown to be true. Of course, present joys, no matter how precious, can be fleeting. And even as I say that, I realize I should say “happiness” instead of joy, because one is circumstantial while the other is anchored.
And maybe this is a year for you that is like last year was for us. You know God is still there, and is still for you. You know that all the promises of God are still true. But you are still hurting, and the joy that you possess isn’t readily visible in your experience. I don’t want to go all “Pollyanna” on you. I simply want to say, “hold on.” The faithfulness of God will come through, and in ways you cannot now see. People told us this when we were at very low points, and while we didn’t “feel” it, we have seen that it is true.
Christmas is a wonderful time to reflect on just how faithful God is to give us his Son, our Savior, at just the right time for all the right reasons, and in a way no one would have ever guessed without him telling us it would be this way. The same Father who loves you this much will, assuredly, give you the hope, deliverance, provision, and direction you need.
Just hold on!
