Merry Christmas! Or rather, Happy Advent ~ but let's not get all stuck on liturgical calendar semantics...

Merry Christmas to all our family & friends!

This is such a special time of year, and although we dearly miss so many American traditions of the season and miss our family and friends even more at this time of year, we know we are so very privileged to celebrate Christ’s coming into our world with our friends and adopted family here in Rwanda.  We enjoy the many happy greetings of “Noelle Niziza!” (Merry Christmas!) as we pass friends and strangers along the road. We also enjoy the extra joy and brightness found on every face as everyone celebrates the season. 

One thing I do NOT miss about Christmas in the states is all the hustle, bustle, driving frantically to Target or Walmart for "one more thing", and all that jazz.  Things are just so much slower paced here, and boy, am I thankful for that!  

You might think, as I once did, that the extra generous feelings you have at this time of year are just an American or First World sentiment, perhaps spurred on by all the Hallmark movies and other sentimental stuff we see this time of year in America.  The feeling of,  “I want to help others more than usual at this time of year” – you might think this is just something the western church or just every American or Western European feels as part of their Christmas cheer due to cultural peer pressure. 

But what continues to inspire and surprise me is seeing how this same “Christmas spirit and cheer” exists here in Rwanda.  People who would be considered "under the poverty line" in the USA, but who here are middle class, are extra generous at this time of year to their less fortunate friends and relatives.  Everyone gives more than usual – everywhere I go, people are thinking of ways to bless others – to bring extra meals to shut ins, to share their rice and beans, to bring meals to those in hospital, to pay insurance for a neighbor, to give gifts, to give extra to their church. 

Perhaps the reason we are extra motivated to GIVE at this time of year isn’t just cultural and isn’t just a response to our traditions or commercials or cheesy movies on television.  Perhaps it is a heart response to the extra time spent focusing on how much God loves us – that He loves us so much, He sent his one and only son to us, to live among us for 33 years, to show his love for us in flesh and blood reality.  Perhaps focusing on that so much, in our songs, in our day to day activities, in our greetings – perhaps that simply triggers a natural response of wanting to share that joy and love and giving with others.  That’s what God’s love truly received always does, doesn’t it?   It causes a heartfelt response of joy and wanting to share the amazing abundance of love we have received. 

I think this is why I’ve always loved Christmas so much as an adult:  I love the way virtually the entire world around me turns into a giving, generous place.  Everyone is thinking of what they can do for and give to others, instead of just thinking of what they want for themselves.  Christian or not, religious or not, everyone is celebrating and everyone is wanting to share their love with others.  It’s a great time of year! 

I truly adored the holiday as a child – my mom made it the most special time of the year, hands down.  But that love even grew deeper when I became an adult and began to participate in the giving side of Christmas, rather than only in the receiving.  

Well, enough pontificating about Christmas.  Needless to say, in all this, I’m trying to say, “I LOVE CHRISTMAS!  It is my very favorite time of the year!"  I love that all my kids will be here with us.  I just can't wait until we are all under one roof again.

I hope you love Christmas too, and that you are having a great holiday!  Thanks for reading my rambling thoughts about the season ~ Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!