Why I turned the Christmas music OFF

I don’t know about you… but, this Christmas is different.

I’m sure part of it is because we are facing some struggles with my husband being laid off last summer… but, we have had other Christmas seasons where money was super tight.

This year still feels different.

Perhaps it is because this whole idea of ‘Turning Your Christmas Upside Down” is on my mind.

Every year feels like a struggle to keep my focus… let alone help the kid’s stay focused… on what Christmas is really all about. Christmas isn’t going to be lost if I can’t find the Christmas cards to send out… or if I don’t get out to deliver gifts to friends and neighbors. It isn’t going to be lost if we don’t get to any Christmas specials… or if we don’t watch Charlie Brown’s Christmas. Christmas isn’t even going to lost if we can’t buy anyone gifts…

I get that.

And, maybe it is easier for me to get because ‘gifts’ is not how I speak love. The thought behind gifts means so much more to me than the physical gift itself. Maybe that is what is different for me.

But, as I struggle to turn Christmas upside down this year… I want to ponder even more over my King.

I want the idea of my God becoming human for me… to keep me up at night.

I want it to reach so deeply into my soul that I can’t function without becoming consumed by the thought of His love.

I was listening to the radio – our favorite Christian music station – as I made a 10 minute drive to run an errand. I heard about Frosty… about the joys of a White Christmas. I heard about reindeer with red noses… and I heard about Santa… But, I didn’t hear one song about what Christmas is all about. Sure, all the songs were fun and happy… and a lot of what we get to enjoy during Christmas time – but…

The irony didn’t go unnoticed that a Christian radio station would play more music about Jesus when it isn’t Christmas.

I started listening to ‘non-Christmas’ music today on Pandora…

“He Is With You” by Love and the Outcome came on.
Look at the chorus:

We can trust our God
He knows what He’s doing
Though it might hurt now
We won’t be ruined
It might seem there’s an ocean in between
But He’s holding on to you and me
And He’s never gonna leave, no
He is with us, He is with us
Always, Always
He is with us, He is with us
Always”

THIS is a Christmas song!

He is WITH US!

Immanuel – Jesus came… God WITH US…

Christmas might feel lost… even in the Christmas music – but, it isn’t.

I just needed to turn the Christmas music off to find Christmas and see more clearly how although He came 2000 years ago, He is here today… Always.

What do you need to turn off to find Christmas this year?

 

Read more in my devotional Haywire Christmas: Inviting Jesus Into the Mess on Amazon Kindle Here.