Remembering what Christmas is all about
Though I'm only a teenager, a lot of memories come to mind at the mention of Christmas. When I was a little kid, Christmas for me was hanging handmade ornaments from the kids' craft fair on the tree, making a wish list for Santa, posing for Christmas card photos by the tree, and going for drives through the neighborhood at night looking at the lights. Christmas was cheery and peaceful. Now, Christmas is more chaotic and cluttered, and I'm kept busy with attending various Christmas parties, searching for gifts for loved ones, decorating the house, and endlessly preparing for the final school exams before Christmas break.
But one thing has been a constant for as long as I can remember: every Christmas, before my brothers and I would tear into our gifts and flood the living room with shredded wrapping paper and torn boxes, our dad would sit down with us and remind us why we have all the gifts and festivities: because 2,000 years ago, a child was born in a stable, a child that would one day sacrifice everything to give us the great gift of God's love. My younger, impatient self may not have appreciated the lesson and just wanted to get to the toys and candy, but looking back, I have a new appreciation for my Dad's focus on Christ.
The holiday season is one of the most exciting times of the year. But it's easy to be swept away in the celebration and focus only on your own needs. Honestly, it took a lot of willpower for me to focus my mind and write this devotion with everything else going on in my life. But my dad's guiding words inspired me and helped me come to remember the purpose of advent and Christmas: to prepare for and celebrate the coming of our savior. Keep God's love on your mind and in your focus this advent when you are planning and partying these next few weeks, and remember to show Christlike love to those around you.
Katie Brinkley
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