It is the 28th of December and I’ve just stepped into my study. I’m hanging my new 2012 calendars today, but my heart is tender when my eye falls on the page that was December.
Never before have I had such sweet sadness after Christmas. Maybe it’s that a couple of our children now live a long way away and it is so hard to work out times to be together.
More and more the family is growing up and they are launching off and that’s as it should be. Kyle and Heidi are married. Neither of them lives nearby. Kyle and his little family are three and a half hours away. Heidi and Austin are over six hours away. Heidi is radiant and with child. They will be parents in late February. We were all together for just a few hours last night. We celebrated Christmas. Soon they had to leave and I stood in the snow in South Bend until they drove out of sight.
Between us lie the vast blue sweetwater ocean of Lake Michigan, the great metropolis of Chicagoland, and over three hundred and forty-three miles of farm and field.
Today I am re-entering the regular, post-Christmas world. Everywhere I look are bittersweet reminders of Christmas. Colorful wrapping paper just a day or two ago adorning gifts of love under the tree, is now crumpled and soiled on the garage floor. I gather it up and walk it to the curb. I have a lump in my throat. I find myself fighting back tears. I’m doing an emotional inventory, an assessment of my soul. It’s sadness at the passing of Christmas, but it is also sweet gratefulness for the outpouring of family love I just experienced.
For the first time in about three weeks the boys will be sleeping in their room instead of camping out in the family room by the tree. Soon we will have to bring ourselves to remove the lights and the decorations. Daniel will pack his things in his car and return to college in Grand Rapids.
I’ve always planned a number of things to look forward to after Christmas. I’ve never been blue. There is always a New Year full of plans just ahead. I’ve always told others to keep doing Christmas things after Christmas is past. I know the secret to joy is communion with the Spirit of God dwelling within us and obedience to his quiet voice. Today I need to preach that truth from my head into my heart.
Thank you, Lord for the love that was expressed at Christmas—for the month that was December. It was sweet. May the ring of it reverberate in my heart throughout the New Year that lies ahead.
Ken Pierpont
The Pastor’s Study
Evangel Baptist Church—Taylor, Michigan
December 28, 2011
I have always loved Christmas and wanted to put the days before and the day of on hold. I grow sad seeing it pass so quickly.I believe one reason is , it is so refreshing to see people being nice and sharing and smiling and caring as they should all the time but more so at this time of year.I just always have a sadness when Christmas Day is over. I am so glad it is never over in my heart as I have salvation through this gift of Jesus, the Saviour to the world.
It is nice to read that someone feels the same as I do after Christmas is over ( bittersweet ),and I also do an emotional inventory, an assessment of my soul each year . Thinking of you Ken and Bless your heart.
Because of him working through you ,
Ted Dickerson
Colorado Springs Co.
It was a beautiful month dad! Thank you for successfully installing a love for Christ and Christmas in each one of us, your children! It was a wonderful, fast weekend. Thank you for loving us!
Mary Lynn, thaks for the commend. It’s great to hear from you, Ted. Hope all is well. Kyle, you have been a continual delight to my soul all your life.