Christmas Season

Christmas is a confusing time of year. You shop the store or walk the streets and you are bombarded with very differing approaches and attitudes toward the season. 

There is that smiling face, who wishes you a Merry Christmas while holding the door open for you, and there is that person who grumpily pushes their cart past you in the aisle, grumbling under their breath about "this time of year". 

I was standing in line at the post office to mail some packages. Even though it was an absurdly long line, everyone was fairly jovial. They were chatting and letting others go before them, but in the quiet boredom of waiting, I eavesdropped on a conversation in front of me. 

An older woman was standing at counter and when the clerk had finished with her package she said 

"Are we done?" 

The clerk smiled and said "Yes, ma'am, unless I can get a smile out of you." 

She turned her head away from him and said "No. I have nothing to smile about." 

The clerk frowned, in concern, and said all that he could "well I hope you have a blessed Christmas." 

Standing there, I prayed for her, and I got to thinking about those who are suffering. 

While I am wrapping that extra present, singing along to "jingle bells" playing on the radio, and reading the story (again) of Jesus's birth to my kiddos in our warm comfortable home. I think of those who don't have to be "needy" to be hurting this year. 

Maybe they lost someone they love. Maybe they just don't have anyone to spend Christmas with... Whatever the case may be. Always always always always give to the needy, but we also need to pray that we never miss an opportunity to just encourage and love one another, so no one has to feel alone.