We speak every year of how crazy the Christmas season is…shopping, cooking, rehearsing, baking, wrapping, decorating, traveling… So, I’m here to give you a challenge. I was actually inspired by something I saw posted yesterday.
Raise your hand if this sounds like a fabulous idea to you! I LOVE it! I’ve seen various posts in our group at Schoolin’ Swag about favorite Christmas read-alouds, or wrapping up 25 holiday books so that one can be opened and read together as a family every night. So nice.
I like the idea of quiet at Christmas. I really don’t think the actual Christmas night those many years ago was literally “silent”. Think about it…a thundering heavenly host, the raucous clamoring of the shepherds as they scrambled to spread the news, the crowds in Bethlehem, a stable full of animals, and a newborn baby. Okay, so really think through this with me…the sweet Christmas song says “But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes”… I think this is just a bit romanticized. Who wouldn’t be concerned about a newborn who makes no noise? 😉 Jesus was fully God and fully man. Babies cry to communicate all sorts of things. Let’s reconcile ourselves to that.
The quiet I relish at Christmas is for worship. It’s for thought. It’s for breathing the heavy sigh of contentment in being surrounded by so much beauty this time of year. I love the stillness of an evening with fresh falling snow, away from city lights, far from traffic noise, when you can look up at the crystalline sky and imagine that Star. I like opportunities that take my spirit to that level of peace.
So, here’s the challenge. Find time for a “Silent Night” during your Christmas break. It can be Christmas eve, as suggested above, or another evening that is convenient. OR…even MORE than one! Turn off Netflix. Get away from the *beep* *boop* of phones, PS3’s, and all the rest. Savor quiet.
I remember one of my favorite things to do during Christmas vacation as a kid was to lie down under the Christmas tree, looking up through the branches, and listening to the favorite Christmas LPs we pulled out every year. Calming. Focusing. Restful.
I’d love to hear about your “Silent Night” attempt! Share in the comments below, message me, or come join Schoolin’ Swag and share with all of the wonderful folks there!
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