Today’s post is a little off topic for a painting blog, but every winter we begin that long season of shorter days and longer nights. It all begins with the world around us getting more stark – the grass goes brown, the leaves begin to fall off the trees, and the birds start heading out. It can be foreboding to many as the signs of winter creep into our everyday lives. But if you have the eyes to see it, you have been given hope too. So many fall festival begin to spring up with people having fun and enjoying hot chocolate and food truck fare. Then Thanksgiving, that high holiday where we reflect on all the gifts that God has given to us as we gather at the table for a feast. But it is not over yet . . .

The Advent season then begins as the excitement of Christmas start to build. Displays start showing up in stores as the anticipation builds. The kids start making paper chains to the countdown to Christmas day! Towns begin to put up decorations and the days begin to get shorter faster. Our neighbors around town begin to string lights on their homes and the world, just as the darkness begins to overtake the days, we light up the nights with our lights. We overcome the darkness with our lights and celebrations and this brings a lot of happiness to those who will accept it. The grinches start showing up too. They can be heard complaining about all the shops putting up Christmas stuff up so early and how December is always way too busy. To some, it seems, God’s goodness to us always comes with a price tag that is almost too big for the measly return of one little day. Just one short day – it is, in fact, one of the shortest days of daylight of the entire year. And should I mention how these grinches feel about family and the get together?

But to many, if not most, that one day is the best day of the year. It is the most anticipated day of the year. To these people, the light of Christmas makes the darkness of winter more meaningful. I don’t think it is a mistake that our Christian forbearers put Christmas in the middle of the winter. Of all the reasons we celebrate Christmas when we do, none of them can be as significant as the idea that, when all seems so dark, cold, and lonely, God gives us the gift of Christmas. Is this not the entire meaning of Christ. Christ enters the world as a light in the darkness making us alive when all we knew was death a separation from God? In our darkest of nights and our lostness, God sends us a light not merely to show us the way, but to light up our lives. He send Christ to make us alive in the middle of being dead. He brings meaning to our lives and, in His grace, He slowly begins to make everything new. There are some who know what I mean and this will bring great joy to your hearts.

Instead of complaining about stores putting up decorations so early, we should be excited and asking why did they put them up so late! And yes, family can be a complicated mess sometimes – most of the time for many. But even in that we should be thankful that we have family, even if it is complicated. My prayer this season is that God will show you His grace and that your heart of mourning can become a heart of thanksgiving and joy. If you thought Christ would fix everything around you, you’ve gotten it wrong! But He can and He will fix you if you will just ask Him to. After all, it is likely you and I are the most broken things around and it all begins with how we are looking at the world.