Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Magic
BY: Kristen Clark
If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.
~Mary Engelbreit
My husband Lawrence and I were celebrating our fourth Christmas together and we were working to establish our own holiday traditions. I had never had children and each of the past few years we had enjoyed the holiday season with his three precious kids, whom I now felt privileged to call my own. I expected this Christmas would be much the same and the thought of each of us being alone and apart on Christmas Day had never crossed my mind.
Lawrence and I decided to spend Christmas at our cabin in the mountains in New Mexico, which was our usual practice, and we hoped our kids would join us; however, the older two had different ideas. Our older daughter chose to stay in California, where she was attending college; our son opted to stay in Mississippi to work through his college break and save money for his spring semester abroad in Europe. The visitation period with our twelve-year-old wasn't scheduled to start until noon on December 26th, but there were no flights available that day to pick her up in time, so we agreed that Lawrence would leave on Christmas to fly to Houston and bring her to our cabin in the mountains. Our family would all be in different locations and apart on Christmas Day!
I pondered this reality and remembered a conversation a few weeks earlier during which my friend complained that she would be alone on Christmas Day. She elaborated in great detail about her long-standing tradition of having the entire family at her house to celebrate the birth of Christ, open presents, swap cookie recipes, exchange hugs and kisses, and feast happily on an oversized turkey and enough fixings to feed a small army. This year she agonized over being unable to orchestrate her historic family tradition. She also wept over the idea of being alone, and my heart ached for her.
Remembering that conversation made me wonder if I, too, would find myself terribly alone and missing my family, and that's when I realized I could make a choice about my attitude toward Christmas. It was then I decided that I would not allow whatever happened (or didn't happen) on Christmas Day to negatively impact my spiritual condition or my heart's content. I would not entertain thoughts of disappointment or resentment, nor be captive to preconceived ideas about what the perfect Christmas should be. Come what may, I resolved that I would not be depressed about being alone!
Instead, I would rejoice in the gift of my husband and family and love them from afar. I would appreciate the blessed day for what it is and celebrate the birth of our King and God's presence in my life. I would imagine the angels proclaiming from the Heavens, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men!" I would be content in my aloneness, trusting that this too would pass and that soon I would be reunited with my husband and our youngest child.
Christmas morning came, and my husband and I awoke in our cabin in the mountains, just as planned. We called our kids and other family members to tell them all how much we loved and missed them. I later took my husband to the airport and kissed him goodbye, after which I dined with friends, appreciative for the invitation. Finally, I went home to our empty cabin.
Christmas day became Christmas night and I walked out onto the front deck. I was alone as I inhaled the crisp mountain air and admired the glistening blanket of snow. I was alone as I lovingly thought of and prayed for protection and safety for my family. I was alone as I whispered to the stars my thanksgiving for the birth of our heavenly King. And I was alone as I humbly and graciously received God's precious gift -- His divine peace about the fact that I may be alone this Christmas, but with Him I will never be truly lonely.
BY: Kristen Clark
If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.
~Mary Engelbreit
My husband Lawrence and I were celebrating our fourth Christmas together and we were working to establish our own holiday traditions. I had never had children and each of the past few years we had enjoyed the holiday season with his three precious kids, whom I now felt privileged to call my own. I expected this Christmas would be much the same and the thought of each of us being alone and apart on Christmas Day had never crossed my mind.
Lawrence and I decided to spend Christmas at our cabin in the mountains in New Mexico, which was our usual practice, and we hoped our kids would join us; however, the older two had different ideas. Our older daughter chose to stay in California, where she was attending college; our son opted to stay in Mississippi to work through his college break and save money for his spring semester abroad in Europe. The visitation period with our twelve-year-old wasn't scheduled to start until noon on December 26th, but there were no flights available that day to pick her up in time, so we agreed that Lawrence would leave on Christmas to fly to Houston and bring her to our cabin in the mountains. Our family would all be in different locations and apart on Christmas Day!
I pondered this reality and remembered a conversation a few weeks earlier during which my friend complained that she would be alone on Christmas Day. She elaborated in great detail about her long-standing tradition of having the entire family at her house to celebrate the birth of Christ, open presents, swap cookie recipes, exchange hugs and kisses, and feast happily on an oversized turkey and enough fixings to feed a small army. This year she agonized over being unable to orchestrate her historic family tradition. She also wept over the idea of being alone, and my heart ached for her.
Remembering that conversation made me wonder if I, too, would find myself terribly alone and missing my family, and that's when I realized I could make a choice about my attitude toward Christmas. It was then I decided that I would not allow whatever happened (or didn't happen) on Christmas Day to negatively impact my spiritual condition or my heart's content. I would not entertain thoughts of disappointment or resentment, nor be captive to preconceived ideas about what the perfect Christmas should be. Come what may, I resolved that I would not be depressed about being alone!
Instead, I would rejoice in the gift of my husband and family and love them from afar. I would appreciate the blessed day for what it is and celebrate the birth of our King and God's presence in my life. I would imagine the angels proclaiming from the Heavens, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men!" I would be content in my aloneness, trusting that this too would pass and that soon I would be reunited with my husband and our youngest child.
Christmas morning came, and my husband and I awoke in our cabin in the mountains, just as planned. We called our kids and other family members to tell them all how much we loved and missed them. I later took my husband to the airport and kissed him goodbye, after which I dined with friends, appreciative for the invitation. Finally, I went home to our empty cabin.
Christmas day became Christmas night and I walked out onto the front deck. I was alone as I inhaled the crisp mountain air and admired the glistening blanket of snow. I was alone as I lovingly thought of and prayed for protection and safety for my family. I was alone as I whispered to the stars my thanksgiving for the birth of our heavenly King. And I was alone as I humbly and graciously received God's precious gift -- His divine peace about the fact that I may be alone this Christmas, but with Him I will never be truly lonely.
http://www.beliefnet.com/Inspiration/Chicken-Soup-For-The-Soul/2010/10/Never-Alone.aspx?source=NEWSLETTER&nlsource=49&ppc=&utm_campaign=DIBSoup&utm_source=NL&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_term=mail.ru
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