Seeking and Finding Jesus?
by Trish Bussey Jeter

"God so loved the world that He gave…” John 3:16

 
When I think of Christmas coming in a few weeks, I don’t know whether to be EXCITED OR EXHAUSTED!    
 

How about you?

• Do you feel a time crunch?
• Are you frantically rushing around looking for bargains?
• Have you raced home to hide gifts until they can be wrapped?
• Are you excited by the Christmas lights blinking everywhere, making your street look like a fairyland?
• Is seasonal music lighting up your heart—or giving you a massive migraine?  

 

Have you ever wished you could just stay in bed? Eat something way too high in calories? Read a great book? And NOT have to cook, clean up, go somewhere, or have any demands placed on you? Are you sinking into a Scrooge-like attitude and wanting to say “Bah. Humbug” to anyone who wishes you a Merry Christmas? 

 

I hope not. But I do remember struggling a bit with that attitude several years ago when we lived in Singapore. Let me explain:
 

My husband and I lived in Singapore for over two years.

 
 Singapore is hot—very hot—even on Christmas Day.  We had a toaster oven in our miniature kitchen—not even big enough for a baby chicken, let alone a great big turkey and all the trimmings.  Real, live, Christmas trees cost a small fortune. Plus we had no decorations. Hardest of all, we had no children or family to share the day with. And we had few friends (just so you won’t start crying on my behalf, we did eventually get invited to someone’s home—who had an American-sized kitchen, oven, and turkey!)
 

But as I lay in bed one morning thinking about the sad Christmas that awaited us, a challenging question broke through my gloomy thoughts:

 
Just what does it mean to celebrate Christmas, Poppy? 

 
It made me think.  Is it all the extras? The decorations, food, parties, presents? Yes, these are wonderful, but…  If I were to be honest I realized that Christmas can become just that—a mere human, earthly, cultural happy day.

But it’s so much more than that isn’t it?

 
Christmas is celebrating Jesus

God’s most wonderful, life-changing gift--coming into the world! Coming into your world. Coming into my world. And we will never be the same. What a glorious thought.
 
He is the reason for music, laughter, joy, and giving gifts that delight (we hope!). It is His love we show in the hours spent getting that big bird (or whatever you prepare) ready and making those delicious treats to share with others.

 
Yes, my friends. Rejoice! May you celebrate throughout this whole Christmas season as you marvel at the incredible love God expresses in His amazing gift, the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 

(And if you feel growly and Scrooge-like, look up and smile. God has poured out His best for you and a heart-felt “Thank You” will change your perspective so you can enjoy a MERRY CHRISTMAS!)

  
Blessings from Him Who gave Himself for us!

During all the activities this Christmas season, here at the WCM we thought it would be valuable to share some ways to practice being present in the moment and to acknowledge and affirm all of the wonderful people in your lives! 

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."  Hebrews 10:24-25

Below is a list of ways to practice affirming the people around you. Words of encouragement have the power to transform someone's world! So we challenge you this Christmas season to try a few of these out! 

Here they are:

1. Take time to affirm someone you know who is doing something risky yet right (like a missionary going to hostile country).
2. Next time you send someone a birthday card, add a few words of affirmation highlighting a Christ-like quality you see in that person.
3. Positively compare someone you know to a Bible hero.
4. Following a worship service, write a note or leave a voice mail for someone who excelled in reverential musicality, hospitable ushering, enthusiastic reading, or faithful preaching.
5. Commend a parent you know that is sacrificing for their children in a godly way.
6. At family gatherings, invite everyone to mention something they particularly admire about another family member.
7. If you know someone who is chronically ill, take time to affirm their endurance, patience, and determination.
8. When a staff member at your church has invested extra time at work, send a note to their spouse, perhaps with flowers or a gift card, expressing appreciation for them sharing their husband or wife.
9. Affirm people you know who solve problems without waiting to be asked, commending their initiative.
10. Rather than give your spouse an anniversary card written by someone who works for Hallmark, spend some time studying the phrasing in the cards in the anniversary card section, and then take time to deliberately compose your own card.
11. Next time an error of yours is brought to your attention, not only own it, but affirm the person who brought it to you for their alertness and thoroughness in catching it.
12. Take time to commend the people in your life who have been especially reliable, as well as those who have the habit of being punctual. Both people are imaging Christ through their actions and should be recognized.
13. This may seem obvious (but worth mentioning anyway), take time to pray that God would enable you to be more affirming of others.
14. When someone passes along a good idea, or helps you change your mind about an issue, affirm their persuasiveness and communication skills.
15. Think of the most humble person you know. Praise that person’s humility to a mutual friend.
16. When children (such as your own) bring up something they heard in a sermon or in class, praise their attentiveness.
17. Affirm the flexibility you see in others when they readily adjust plans to accommodate a need.
18. In your small group or Sunday school at church, ask people to tell you about the nicest compliments they ever received. See if you can learn from their experiences and implement ideas on your own.
19. When presented with an overlooked solution to a problem you may be having, commend the other person’s resourcefulness and/or creativity.
20. Look for someone who is making do in the midst of disappointing circumstances and affirm their contentment and its beauty.