WHEN IS CHRISTMAS?

I recently saw the local community theater group's performance of "A Christmas Carol."  That wonderful Dickens's tale which explores the tenses of Christmas.  It was a great performance and the story never grows old.


Pondering the visit of the three ghosts--past, present, and future, I was drawn back to those wonderful days of English classes.  Did you realize there are actually twelve tenses?  Once you get past the three most basic---I plead lost.  And then there was that nasty little fellow---PAST PARTICIPLE

the form of a verb, typically ending in -ed in English, that is used in forming perfect and passive tenses and sometimes as an adjective

I put those silly past participles in the same basket I placed the dangling participles.  The basket labeled--WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Well I am off the subject--SORRY!  Let me reign myself back in and pointed in the right direction.

As I thought about those ghosts visiting Scrooge that Christmas Eve, it gave pause to all the Christmases I have been blessed to experience.  


Here is the family picture from last year. I walked down memory lane from my earliest memories with my family of origin to my own family.  So many wonderful memories, from my earliest thoughts of Santa, the fun of being Santa, and now the joy of seeing the grands enjoy a visit by the jolly old elf.  There are forever holes in Christmas from those who have gone before us, but Christmas and the evolving traditions hold a special place in my heart.


Christmas present includes a trip and a couple of stops in Texas this year.  One son is with his fiancee's family in Chicago, and we will not all be together.  As our families grow and begin families of their own, Christmas takes on a different look.  I have come to view Christmas not as a day, but instead a season.  As long as there is a visit during the season, it is Christmas.


And that unknown ghost of Christmas Future is an eye opening reminder there is no guarantee of the next Christmas.  In fact, until the day is here, we have no certainty of the one less than a week away.  No one knows the number of days we have here on this earth.  Taking this to heart and making the most of what we do have is the only answer.

Christmas as viewed by Scrooge is time dependent.  Either you had one, you're having one, or next year promises another one.  What if I told you, Christmas is like God---and present in all eternity?  Christmas and the birth of Christ is not dependent upon a day, a year, a century--it is eternal.  Before God placed the earth in its orbit, the birth of our Savior was known to our all wise God.  Christmas and Easter are eternal events and not bound by man's calendar.  Jesus is eternal.  What if I told you every day we should celebrate Christmas, because Jesus was born to fulfill the prophecy of old?  My thoughts only--but somehow it makes sense.

He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Collosians 1:17


4 comments

  1. Beautifully explained. And I thought, "Ugh on your explanation of Comp class (they call it comp here),been there, done that, and never going back,lol."

    Have a lovely joyful season, Lulu. {{and giggling over wearing shorts on Christmas}}

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    1. It was quite warm last Cmas. This year it is supposed to be frigid!!
      Blessings, My Friend!

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  2. Christmas in our hearts, all year long . . . That's exactly how it should be!
    Blessings, Loralu!

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Your comments keep my writing and often cause me to think. A written form of a hug or a pat on the back and an occasional slap into reality---I treasure them all!