I never knew anything about how special big family gatherings were until I married Mike. When we got married, I became blessed with three grandparents who treated me like I belonged from the first day I met them. I remember the 5th Sunday dinners at Grandma Baughman's when everyone brought food and we all squeezed into a very small house to enjoy dinner together. I remember Christmas Eve in the basement at Grandma and Grandpa Perry's house -- playing Euchre at a card table and kids running around while dinner was cooking upstairs, and everyone fighting over who would (and wouldn't) wear the Santa suit.
When we moved away from Indiana in 1990, even when it was an 11-hour drive, we always made it home for Christmas. We had Christmas Eve at Grandma Perry's, Christmas morning at my mom's house, and Christmas evening at my mother-in-law's house. The travel was tough sometimes and I remember some very scary and snowing drives from Pennsylvania to Indiana. But it was always worth it to be with family.
This Christmas was the first time in 31 years that we didn't make the trip to Indiana. As we are seeing, things change when you lose your parents. My mom is the only one we have left but with her current mental health, she is barely with us. Even if we had gone home this Christmas, we would not have seen her because she unfortunately tested positive for Covid (with no symptoms). And even worse, I can't talk to her on the phone because her hearing aids are not working. So not only did I not see my mom for the first time on Christmas day, but I didn't even call her.
We were reminded at church a few weeks ago about people in the Bible who missed Christmas for various reasons. Many people then and now simply refuse to believe. John 1:11 says "He came to his own people, and even they rejected him." There are also many people who celebrate Christmas, believe that Jesus was born but that's it. For those people, His birth doesn't change anything. These are the people who often refer to Jesus as "Baby Jesus" because they never go beyond Christmas. They see Him as a baby in a manger, but they don't know Him as Lord or see Him as King.
I find myself loving the meaning of Christmas more than I love Christmas -- if that makes sense. When I got up on Christmas morning this year to a very quiet house, I put on lotion I brought home from my mom's house when we were packing it up and that lotion reminded me of her. We cut the ham for dinner using my dad's wooden cutting board and his favorite butcher knife. The table was only set for four and it felt very much like any other Saturday. I missed the big family gatherings. I missed the big meal and all the desserts I don't need. I missed a room full of presents and everyone taking turns to open them. I even missed all the cleanup in the kitchen afterwards (well maybe not). Yes, I missed Christmas and the way it used to be. I missed it all!
But even though I missed so much this year, this is what I didn't miss out on in celebrating Christmas in 2021.
May you experience the greatest gift of all this year and His name is Jesus. Don't ever miss Christmas!
"For God so love the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." ~John 3:16
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