Let us not try to persuade ourselves that this time of year is no different than any other season or time in our lives.
Holiday celebrations are all around us.
Even if we are our own version of Scrooge, there are cultural, religious, and social events that happen regardless of whether we want them to happen, or not. And when they happen, we miss those we love who live far away. We miss those we love who have died. And most of all, losses and changes of our lives come to mind, whether we want them to, or not.
Yes, the holidays affect us, sociologists say, more than we might recognize. And believe it or not, it is as negative for some, as it is positive for others. And for everyone in between, there is the bittersweet living of Christmas.
Anxiety, seasonal depression, fear, and many other ways of being are part of us year-round; however, the holidays seem to exacerbate our challenges.
This year, embrace everything that makes the holidays painful; allow the negative to fertilize a spiritual growth which can make us stronger and closer to God and to others. Pray, contemplate, and take advantage of the longer, darker evenings. Stay in and meditate. The possibilities are endless.
This is a special time of year. Celebrate it all!
See you in church, Pastor Lillie