Does there come a point where you go into a blind panic in this season? Christmas Day is a week away! Help! They want my orders of service for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Years Eve now! I’ve no ideas. Then there’s Christmas shopping, I’ve not finished that yet, I’ve not written a single Christmas card and I’m feeling frazzled and a bit bah humbug if I’m honest.
I shared in a carol service in the residential care home in Boroughbridge this afternoon with my lovely Anglican colleague and friend Karen. I had endless carols yesterday and today was carol overload! I was mardy. Then after the service one of the ladies said “I do love it when you come.” I was humbled by that. I might be tired, I might be fed up of Christmas but that lady reminded me of the nature of Christianity. That God comes to our weariness and rawness and visits us so we might say “I love it when you come.” I guess it is okay to hit the wall with a week to go. Minister friends, be honest, are you knackered? How do we find the energy to do another week with people in need as well? I remember John Bell quoting a lady who said “I’m sick and tired of Christmas. I just want somewhere quiet to go to sit and think about incarnation.”
Yes the Christmas shopping needs to be finished, yes the shopping needs doing as does being seen at every carol thing, school thing and coffee morning. I was taught by my pastoral tutor to be visible. People know if you’ve not been with them.
Yes with a week to go I’m sick and tired of Christmas but let me find space to think about incarnation. Like the lady in the home likes it when I come, may I not be so exhausted I can’t see when God comes.
Let’s hope so anyway…
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