Offer a thankful heart in this Christmas season

 

"It's Christmas period again!" I seem to hear many people saying this when December draws near. What comes after this sentence can be very different though.

"It's time to clear my year-end leave and spend long hours to catch up with my lack of sleep."
"It's time to go shopping! Christmas sales are everywhere now."
"Must go to Hong Kong (Or Singapore) to see the beautiful Christmas lights."
"It's a good time to send Christmas cards to old friends to ctach up with them."
"So and so shopping centre has such beautiful Christmas decorations, you must go and see."

In church, we hear people saying different things too.
"It's the busiest period of a year."
"Let's plan a Christmas play and get our people involved."
"Why don't we sing carols in shopping centres?"
"It's time of giving. Why don't we buy presents and give to the less fortunate in the society?"
"Let's go door-to-door carol singing in our neighbourhood."
"We should invite friends to come for our Christmas service."
"I am so tired every year in this period. How I wish I can just rest and not to get involved in any program at all."

Christmas can mean different things to different people. People enjoy the different activities for different reasons. I was told that there had been a survey carried out many years back, asking people what actually happen on Christmas eve. The answers were highly unexpected. The highest score went to "loosing virginity". Coming from an Asian culture, the result was just plain shocking.

What actually Christmas should mean to us?

In the midst of all our busyness, going around to "do" Christmas, we forget the true meaning of this festive season and the reason for our celebration.

As for me, Christmas is a time for thanksgiving:

• Th precious gift of God's Son, Jesus Christ, came to this world;
• A blessed (not perfect though) family;
• Grace and strength each time when I walk through the valley of my life;
• Friends with whom I could share lives together;
• A great church which I could grow and serve in.

etc, etc, etc......................

There is never enough space to be thankful about little things in our lives. 

I must say, most people tend fill their precious time in murmuring. The complaints are filled with so much sarcaism and anger that it makes hearers uncomfortable. It is indeed courageous to point out wrongs which lead to correction and improvement. I just cannot take people who complain all the time and yet they don't want to make any effort (or inconvenient themselves) to make good the situation. Shouting beautiful words and slogans may create much excitement ( and sometimes it is absolutely necessary to create awareness of the wrongs). I am a practical person, I like to spend time in making a difference in one soul (well, may be more than one if situation permits) at a time.

In this beautiful Christmas season, let us put on a new attire of thanksgiving and see what the Lord can do to change us and the people around us.