December 22 Krum Star
Article
"The Christmas bells are ringing . . ."
OK, Sunday is Christmas Eve,
Monday is Christmas Day, everybody is short on money,
tired, and just a bit stressed by trying to get everything
done AND all the challenging relatives are showing up
shortly for a long visit. After they leave, you could
spend three weeks looking for the TV remote control, and
have a $900 plumbing bill because their toddler stuffed
who knows what into the toilet and . . . well, you get
the picture.
Yet there’s a whole other
side to this picture: by the combined efforts of the Krum
area churches and civic organizations, many families were
well fed and a slew of children will enjoy gifts picked
out just for them on Christmas Day. Thousands of volunteer
hours and sacrificial financial generosity made this happen.
Joy permeated the whole process—real joy, the kind
that stays around a while and can overcome even the frustrations
of clogged plumbing or whatever other challenges show
up regularly in our lives.
Now, did this giving solve
all the social problems in Krum? Hardly. The numbers of
people needing help is increasing. There are children
that need to be educated and educated well so they can
contribute to the larger societal good. There are families
that need help in rearing self-sufficient, competent young
people. Many need to learn to manage their finances to
get out of crippling debt and never-ending credit card
payments. On-going health problems don’t just disappear
either, simply because it is Christmas. Yes, the difficulties
of life are always with us.
But there is a mystery in the
air. Hear the bells; take the time to sense the possibilities,
to enjoy the magic of the season. Enter into the joy with
the children around you. Give them the opportunity to
experience the baby in the manger, that gift from God
that is so fully mystery that no one really understands
it, and yet reminds us to stop and give glory to God in
the highest.
Hear the bells, listen to the
angels sing. You can sense those angels everywhere—in
the special worship services where we tell and sing the
joyous story, in the moments of family togetherness, in
the coming together of the community for the Christmas
Angels project, in the special foods, in the lights on
the streets and houses and businesses.
Hear the bells, sense the angels,
breathe deeply, and enjoy the mystery. For unto us a child
is given, unto us a son is born, and he shall be called
wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince
of Peace.
