Tuesday, December 29, 2015

After Christmas Rush

In most people's homes, the Christmas decorations are slowly being put away for another year. People rush to the malls and local stores the day after Christmas to buy bargain gifts and decorations for next year's celebration. There is much hurrying and scurrying and pushing and shoving to obtain as many bargains as one can. Children are eagerly playing with the gifts they were given this year. And, they are already dreaming of Santa and what they will add to their already overflowing toy boxes and bedroom floors at Christmas next year.

Why is it people are always so rushed during the holiday season? People wait until the last minute to do their shopping amid the chaos and angry crowds. They fume over Christmas lights that won't light; ornaments that have been broken or misplaced in the hurry to pack them away last year. And frustration sets in because they are stumped about what to buy for family and friends who have everything.

I wonder why we don't all just settle down and enjoy the time we have with our families rather than being concerned about a gift exchange? People spend themselves almost into bankruptcy because they want to be sure the gift they buy someone is at least as expensive as the gift they will receive. The month of December is filled with a party here; a dinner there and soon they find themselves wishing the whole season was over.

As I have gotten three fourths of the way to one hundred, I have come to realize just what is important in life; in my life at least. Age has a way of slowing one down; retirement frees up the time that for four decades or more was used working, scrimping and saving to make a better life for our families. Oh, along the way, there was a time of fun and laughter; a time of enjoying the blessings God had bestowed upon us, but with age comes the realization that we should have taken more time for families and friends and less time worrying about tomorrow.

Dr. Adrian Rogers once said, "Every day God gives you enough time to learn, enough time to work, enough time to laugh, enough time to love. He gives you enough time to do gracefully everything He wants you to do. It is a gift. What kind of steward are you of that gift today?"

"How do you know what is going to happen tomorrow? For the length of your lives is as uncertain as the morning fog—now you see it; soon it is gone." James 4:14 (TLB)

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