By Doug Creamer
The Week Between
The packages have been opened. The delicious meal and the leftovers have all been consumed. All the rushing around has finally come to an end. It’s the week between Christmas and New Year’s. I have been thinking about this all day…I think this is best week of the holiday season. The pressures of getting ready for Christmas are finally gone. We can take a deep breath and actually enjoy a peaceful day.
I admit that it is very hard to slow down and enjoy Christmas with all the demands that are put upon our lives. There is the decorating, shopping, wrapping, gatherings, cleaning, cooking, and… By the time Christmas finally arrives, we are wiped out. It’s hard to find a few quiet moments to sit by the Christmas tree and savor the moment. I have worked hard to be present at every gathering this year. I have truly enjoyed time with family and friends. These days between Christmas and New Years are a hidden treasure.
The push, panic, anxiety, and stress are over. There is nothing to do. You can actually sit by the tree and admire the ornaments and savor the memories that go with each one. You can listen to the music and not feel pressure. You can take a nap. You can read and linger guilt free. You can sneak a few treats.
Most of us still have some traveling and visiting with family and friends on our agendas, but somehow it’s different. Yes, I know that all travel contains some degree of stress, but it doesn’t seem as bad if we aren’t feeling the pressure to be there by Christmas day. Because families are pulled in so many directions to be “HERE” for Christmas, I have long advocated for making Christmas be the day you can be together. If you do that, the joy of the season can be spread out and the stress can be reduced.
With the pressure value relieved, the joy of the season can flood our hearts. After Christmas, I am slow about putting Christmas away. I will get the outside all cleaned up and packed away. The knick knacks will return to their boxes. It’s the tree that will sometimes linger. Part of the reason is that it is quite a bit of work to put up and take down. I admit that. But also, it is nice to enjoy the tree, the lights, and the ornaments. It is very peaceful to sit by the tree late at night or early in the morning when I have my quiet time. It’s then that I can soak in the spirit of the season.
Before we set our sights on the New Year, let’s take a breath and release the stress. I talk about it when I teach my Sunday school class and when I write my column, but sometimes I need to take a spoonful of my own medicine. Deep breath…release. Put the list of things to do away and just be… Maybe look at your Christmas cards again… Maybe make some popcorn and watch a movie… Maybe call an old friend and just talk… You pick! Take some YOU time.
There will be time to think about next year later. We’ll talk about resolutions later. For now, for today, let’s just kick back and relax. Some struggle to unplug. Some feel that we must always be working, especially on our spiritual lives. I want to take this opportunity to remind you that Jesus took time away from the crowds. He sought out quiet places. He would climb a mountain to be alone. Why did He do that?
He needed to find time and a quiet place to reconnect with His Father. We can’t be working, even for His kingdom, all the time. We need to re-charge. Be refreshed. Be renewed. Be nurtured in His presence. Be refilled with the Spirit. These things are not done while working or with crowds of people. These things are done in a quiet place. Refreshment comes from being in His Word, in prayer, and in His presence.
It is hard to find that quiet place in the holiday season. Now in this “week between” I encourage you to find your quiet place and allow Him to touch you and prepare you for the new year ahead. You need to feed your spirit and drink from the still waters. His presence can nurture you and restore you after the craziness of the holiday season. Give yourself permission to slow down and reconnect with Him. Let His Spirit infuse you with His power and strength.
Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com
