Is it real?
Is it something news media and conservatives made up just to have something to talk about?
Questions that have been rolling around in my head as I see the stories.
I decided it is real.
How do I know?
Because I've found myself becoming a causality in this war.
Christmas-a time we celebrate the birth of the king.
A time we reflect on how the God of the universe allowed His one and only son to be born into this cold, dark and scary world because He'd promised He would.
He'd promised us a Savior.
Christmas, when Emmanuel come to be with us.
Yes, I've found myself wounded in the battle of this war on Christmas.
A time when Peace should reign, yet in my heart I am finding peace so difficult to find as I reflect on circumstances instead of the Peace himself.
When Joy should overtake me, instead I find myself in the midst of grief, stubbornly refusing to taking my eyes off of my pain and instead look to the one who promised there would be more to this life.
I find greed creeping in and try and justify that it's not for myself, it's for my children as I worry that they'll be disappointed on Christmas morning- as this Christmas morning of gift opening will look different than years past. . .as if my children aren't enormously blessed to have a warm house, plentiful food to eat, clothes to wear, educational opportunities that some can only dream about and yes each has a device with an i in front of it. . .
But, instead of contentment I find greed crawling up the walls of my heart and making me bitter and angry.
This war is leaving battle scars where love should abound.
Robbing me of Hope, when no matter my circumstances the Hope of the world has come and that and that alone is reason to celebrate!
Yes, it's true there is a real War on Christmas, but it's not because someone dared say "Happy Holidays" to me instead of "Merry Christmas".
That is just a distraction. The real war is taking place in my heart.
But, I refuse to be another casualty in this war.
I will not let greed win.
I will let Peace and Joy and Hope rule over my life and in my heart.
Not by my sheer will power or 'good deeds', but because my Commander has already won this war, my part is only to obey.
Christmas is not in the greeting of some store clerk or even in the depiction of the manger scene on public property,
Christmas is a person.
A baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger, who grew to be a man, who died on a cross and did not let death win, who on the third day rose and now is seated on the right hand of the Father, praying for you and me.
The real War on Christmas, left childless mothers in the town of Bethlehem, left shepherds and kings changed forever and was won on the cross.
So, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Joyeux Noel!
May the Peace, Joy and Hope of season reign in your heart and mine.
