Seven days left until Christmas. 7 days to shop wrap bake cook and do all the other preparations that are part of the holiday each year. As we each get closer to the day we are apt to forget it’s meaning by getting caught up in work. The work can sometimes cause frustrations, disappointments, anger and arguments with those we love. Instead of allowing that to happen, let’s learn to take a Linus moment.
A Linus moment? What’s that? Those of us who grew up in the sixties and seventies know it well. We eagerly awaited the Linus moment every year. Some of us may have for gotten it. So here is a reminder.
“Lights please.”
“And there were in the same country shepherds. Abiding in the fields and keeping watch over their flocks by night. When lo an angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shown round about them, and they were sore afraid. But the Angel said unto them, “Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a savior, which is Christ the Lord and this shall be a sign unto you, ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace Good will to men.”
“And that’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown”
I have found the more I think about this paragraph of scripture taken from the Gospel of Luke, The King James Version, the more I see and the more I wonder at this great miracle. I learn more too, for there are all kinds of questions about that moment. But we have to think about the words and allow them to penetrate ourselves in order to come up with the questions that we then hunger for the answers to. In doing this kind of thinking our stress over the upcoming event will be replaced by the joy and the wonder of Christmas.
Let me encourage you today to take a “Linus Moment”. Print this article out and cut out the verses from Luke. Carry them around with you and when you get frustrated read them and remember. It won’t happen right away, but within a few minutes of thinking about the truth of Christmas your stress will be replaced by awe and joy.
