Monday, December 11, 2023

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Romans 15:13

Illustrated by Emma Jenkins, age 9

When we moved to America 27 years ago with two small children, I dreaded that first Christmas because we would be alone without our immediate family and I knew I would be terribly homesick. It was before FaceTime and Zoom were a thing, but we did have Skype! As my sisters and their families gathered as usual at my parent’s house, we arranged for a time to Skype so that we could see each other – early morning for us and afternoon for them due to the time change. It was wonderful, our girls still in their PJs and their cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles crowding the screen already full of Christmas lunch!

Over the years, this became our new Christmas tradition. Skype has given way to FaceTime and Zoom which has allowed us to be together on a screen even if we couldn’t be together in person.  Over time, the hustle and bustle of Christmas became pared down as we chose to focus on connecting with each other rather than gift giving across the Atlantic. The majority of our Christmas Days have been like this, except for the few where we have made it back to the UK and then all bets are off! I am grateful for them all, as it has allowed us to share our love for each other, and our hopes for the coming year. Yes, Christmas is about traditions, food, gift giving and family gathering; but let us also use it as an opportunity to pause and be thankful for more simple things, for love, for hope and for joy. These things do not cost money, but in our uncertain world, they are more important than ever.

Gracious and loving God, may we always be thankful for all that we have. Help us to continually find ways to give love, hope and joy to others. Amen

Carol Watkins

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