Friday, December 23, 2022
“Smiling is My Favorite!”
In just forty-eight hours, Christmas will arrive. How will it arrive for you this year? Will you attend a worship service on Christmas Day, since some churches and chapels are going through the trouble of hosting a service? Will you sleep a bit longer than normal? Maybe you’ll be awakened early by a four-year-old jumping on your bed!
I’m smiling as I reflect upon those Christmas mornings from long ago. I’m smiling for two reasons: First, my children’s excitement was awesome. I loved it so much! This leads to my second reason for smiling: My kids are grown and I don’t need to be concerned about the wee hours anymore! In some ways, I’m glad those days are passed because they were so physically and emotionally draining. I remember plenty of Christmases when I was so tired that I could barely stand up, let alone cook and prepare the big Christmas meal.
But even without these fond memories, it doesn’t take much to find reasons to smile. Family and friends, Christmas cards, and check-in texts are just some of my reminders to be thankful. Each breath I take is a blessing and each bird that flies overhead is a part of God’s creation. Like you, I am a part of a much larger, wonder-filled world that is captured by God’s gift of Christmas. God provides plenty of reasons to smile.
Oftentimes, it’s the simplest things that create the most joy. A conversation with a friend, reconciliation with a neighbor, or being greeted by a stranger can make us smile. Holiday performances, big light displays, and Christmas Choirs can do it, too.
God communicates often and clearly. If we try, we should be able to find some smiles. How will we find some smiles today? One of my preferred smile discoveries is a quality Holiday show, like “Elf”, starring Will Ferrell. I like it… because “Smiling is My Favorite.”
Our mouths were suddenly filled with laughter; our tongues were filled with joyful shouts. It was even said, at that time, among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them!” Yes, the Lord has done great things for us, and we are overjoyed. (Psalm 126:2-3, CEB)