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| Our mantel - the "believe" stays up all year long |
As I begin to pack up Christmas 2019, I realize that so many of my decorations from ornaments to dishes to placemats and signs, have words on them. Wishes of the season for peace, aspirations of attitude to believe and to be merry and even sentiments of weather such as “let it snow” are on mugs to mangers. I am sad to see the words “Peace”, “Believe” and “Joy” (and others) get put away, only to be waiting to be brought out again in 11 months. Why is it that for a few short weeks of the year, those words can be our mantra, our hope, our heart? But when December 26thcomes around, those very same words seem to be all used up, ready to be remanded to the storage bin in the attic to wait until the words hold meaning and can usher in the holiday season once again.
There is a famous quote that wants us to keep Christmas in our hearts all year long-but just exactly how do we do that? Christmas trees all year long will make us grow weary of pine needles, tinsel and it will take up space in our home. The beauty will fade as the tree becomes commonplace. Do we continue to sing of silver bells and white Christmases into the bloom of Spring? The songs will be out of step with the season and the melodies will become tiring to our ears. So, in what way can we keep Christmas in our hearts, if we cannot keep it in our homes?
There is another famous quote that says a picture paints a thousand words. To me, a word can paint a thousand pictures. When words such as “Peace and Joy” are on display, the reader can think of a time of peace or the need for a peace or better yet, how to bring peace to their daily life. When joy comes into view, joy can be a moment or a memory. Joy in one’s view can become joy in one’s heart. This perhaps is the best way to keep Christmas all year long- in our hearts and in our view. Those words can be our mantra, our hope, our heart – all year long, all life-long.
My home is filled with words. From one-word signs, to scriptures to even a real street sign stating “cell phones prohibited.” (It hangs in the kitchen/breakfast room—there has to be some humor, right?). I actually have a word wall in one of our guest bedrooms. I have found that when good, right and hope-filled words grace my every day, there will be more grace in my day, a steady flow of hope, and peace and joy and love. So perhaps as you’re packing up your Christmas decorations, leave peace and joy out a little longer, perhaps a lot longer and see that Christmas can be in our everyday!
Until next time,
