The Magic Of The Holidays (The Encourager..Dec)

The Magic Of The Holidays
At some point in most every persons life, the question arises...
Where did the magic of the holidays go?” When was the child-
like wonder replaced by anxiety and apathy? How did the spirit
of the most wonderful holiday of the year escape our once expectant
heart? The answer is simple. With the passing of years, the magic
of the holidays is crowded out by the all too real world of worries.
Child-like wonder is pushed beneath a blanket of self-induced stress.
The expectant heart is smothered by a vast array of responsibilities,
squeezed into too little time. The result is that our faith in the God
of wonder is doused with the cold water of simple human haste.
Can the magic of the holidays be restored in our hearts? Most
certainly and quite simply. Take some time to enjoy the crisp winter
air and the sparkle of the holiday season. Reserve a quiet evening
to sit by the fire with loved ones so you can feast on each others
treasured thoughts. Write down everything you’re thankful for
over a three day period and then read the list in prayer to God.
Renew your amazement at the most wonderful event in history by
reading the account of the birth of Christ. And when you make
your Christmas list, right at the top, write, LOOK FOR JESUS EVERY
WHERE! You can see Him in hospital volunteers handing out gifts
to seriously ill children. And there He is again in the smiles of those
same children as they receive their gifts.
Once you start noticing, you’ll be amazed at all the shapes and forms
He takes. His spirit is there in the bell ringers, soup kitchen servers,
carolers, and helpers of the homeless. He’s right there in the bright
smile of an expectant child, the tears of a proud mother and the
embrace between longing parents and a prodigal son or daughter.
And when you look into a mirror, don’t be surprised if you see the
sparkle of His spirit staring back at YOU! And if you really
want to restore the magic of the holidays, require yourself to slow
down, look up and ask God to re-ignite the light of this beautiful
holiday season in your heart. You can be assured He’ll do it. No
one loves to surprise His children more than the creator of Christmas!
(taken from Hugs For The Holidays, by John William Smith) “