One of my FAVORITE things about Christmas time is all the extra LIGHTS. We put them on trees, drape garland down the staircase, around our fireplace mantle, outside, inside… they’re everywhere!
My LEAST favorite part about Christmas is when it’s over, and we’re supposed to take down all the beautiful lights.
I know the extra lights aren’t there very long, but I grow used to them really fast. I just REALLY like the way they look. I like the way they add life and make me feel all warm on the inside.
If I had my way…
When the Christmas lights go out in our neighborhood, it seems like the world is a much darker place than it was before.
If I had my way, I would leave the Christmas lights on our house all year round. (Of course I would take the Christmas tree down.) But I like the way the garland looks on our staircase. And I like the way the house is lit up on the outside with the lights wrapped around it.
But David says that leaving Christmas lights up all year isn’t ‘socially acceptable’ and makes us look like “rednecks”!
The Light of the World!
I kind of feel the same way about Christ being the “light of the world”. We put Him FRONT AND CENTER at Christmas time when it’s ‘socially acceptable’ to talk about Him. We even sing songs about Him on the regular radio stations.
But as soon as Christmas is over, we put Him back on the shelf, and the world goes dark again. And somehow it seems DARKER than it was before the Christmas season began.
Shine!
As we’re in the middle of the “season of lights”, serving our God of light, and you feel light on the inside of you shining out in a little extra loving Christmas cheer… I want to ask you a question. Are you going to let YOUR light go out with all the other Christmas lights at the end the season?
Please don’t! Even if it makes you ‘socially unacceptable’, or a “redneck” like me; (LOL) let your light keep shining.
Plug In
I feel better when my light shines. But sometimes I let the cares of the day, the hustle and bustle of family, work, kids and all the other distractions of everyday life put my light out.
The same way that I have to go plug in the Christmas lights in every morning so that I can see them, I also need to remember to go plug in MY light every morning by reading my Bible.
Talking to God and getting directly connected to His power source helps me recharge, so I can remain a child of LIGHT all year long!
What’s your favorite thing about Christmas lights? Is it easier for you to be a light in the world at Christmas time? What gets in your way of “plugging in” to the power source and being a light for God all year long?
I completely agree with year round lights! Funny you should mention this I was just admiring my Christmas lights too and declaring to myself that lights should surely be on all year long!
Karen – I think we should work together to change this trend. Now, if we were just neighbors!!!! lol
I try to remember the light in our boy’s eyes at Christmas .. That is one thing I want to have all year long….and you dont have to take those lights down!
Pam- that is absolutely precious! There is an immense power in the innocence of children that allows them to truly celebrate a situation. You are so right!
I agree with you Pastor Nicole. My house doesn’t have chistmas lights on the outside but on the inside our house is fully decorated with christmas decorations. Underneath our tree is our little manjor which I hold near and dear to my heart, My mom and I hang snowflakes on the windows in our dining room and all of our stockings including our dogs stockings hang around the TV stand. The christmas tree when plugged in gives our living room light. I love Christmas time so much becuase I get to honor my savior Jesus on the day of his birth and I get to get into the holiday spirit by baking cookies, watching chritmas movies and hanging the decorations with my mom. When I have to help my mom take all the decorations down I am a little sad but I know that next time when Christmas comes I will be ready to do it all again
Cheryl – That is really sweet 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing with all of us!!
Reading my Bible, listening to good podcasts when driving in my car. and ALWAYS watching little kids enjoy life wherever I go keeps my lights running on “bright”! Thanks for such inspiration with all you share:) Love you so much!
Lisa Y – You my friend are a rare and precious person. You just shine out all the time! If we can all shone out more like you – this world will be brighter!
I have a special garland that means alot to me that I leave up thru the winter. It is really a seasonal garland made of cloth and has snowmen and birdhouses on it. It is the only thing I leave out after all the Christmas stuff is put away. My kids never like it and make fun of me, but it makes me happy 🙂 Somehow it extends the season…. Love you Pastor Nicole.
Lisa, Sometimes we just have to do things for us that the kids don’t like. I never understood that as a kid, but as I become a grown-up (reluctantly I am getting there at 40) I am starting to think that comfortable shoes, days without makeup and things I like that they don’t all have their place!
I have always wanted to build a big wood cross in my yard out of landscape timbers and light it completely up with clear lights and keep it lit all year at night. 🙂
Shelly – That sounds pretty 🙂
We keep the light chains up all year along the roof gutter .
When it´s Christmas we drag the chain so i hangs down very visible.
When new year comes, we hide the light chain behind the roof gutter line.
So there is still a ligth that shines behind the roof gutters – the chain is just hidden.
And we go from “redneck lets waste som CO2 kvota mode” to “Classical indirect lightning mode”
Happy New Year from Copenhagen, Denmark, Scandinavia, N. Europe.
Anders – what a great idea! Is there a picture online somewhere so we can see that?
Your blog is so true regarding the darkness of the neighborhood when the Christmas Lights go down and how that symbolizes my life taking over…I leave my Christmas Tree on all night so when I get up in the middle of the night those bright lights guide my way. Now I will take down my tree but I will figure a way to keep those lights shining, in my living room as well as in my heart. Pray for me to keep my light of God shining through. Thank you
Kris, I just might join you in leaving some lights up this year! An outward reminder of an inward stance. Great idea! And I will certainly pray for you!
im so thankful that i found you and pastor david and you have should me that god loves me and is there for me . ive been able to go through this radiation without fear and today was my last treatment igive him all the glory and thank you for teaching me that im not alone and that hes always with me and loves me .
Faye – You are absolutely precious! Not only in God’s sight, but in all that meet you. God is completing the healing work in you that He has begun!