The season of Christmas holds a unique place in our culture. No other time do you find people of all ages throwing caution to the wind and plunging headlong into giddy anticipation for a single day. The traditional becomes familiar and one bats an eye as we bring out the throngs of evergreen, epilepsy-causing flash of twinkle lights, bulging tins of sweets, and jolly-induced tunes. But what makes this season any different? What causes us to embrace these schemes that deplete our pocket books and cause our nerves to fray.
Many things can be credited to our dear friend, Tevye the milkman's wise word: TRADITION! We do these things because that's just what you do. And for my family, who wisely does not embraces a commercial Christmas, the value of tradition remains the same. It is our annual trend to drive to Colorado for Christmas--to spend time with grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. But this year, for the first time in ages, we were knocked off our pedestal of familiarity and made to re-examine the intelligence of driving through the Midwest's winter storm. Needless to say, survival out-ranked tradition. And though our hearts are sad, we have been given the opportunity to re-examine Christmas's place in our hearts, not just our geographical location on this special day.
What folly we find ourselves in when all we can think about is what we have done in all the years past. God is not above shaking things up when we lose track of His Son.
So, this year we will celebrate our Savior's birth in a Midwestern winter wonderland with a beautiful Charlie Brown tree, and enough Christmas hymns to last all evening. Traditions are good, wonderful, in fact, but this Christmas I am grateful for the detour God has placed in our hearts.
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