It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!
Posted on Dec 19, 2019 by
I love Christmas. Everything about it. The smells, the food, the music, the many different ways to worship; I even love the cold weather! Hats and sweaters and gloves, oh my!
I have always loved my family traditions like overflowing stockings, the fireplace roaring — regardless of weather — family games, and Christmas breakfast together. It’s all wonderful! But as the 25th draws closer, my daily panic grows. There is so much to do! At my kids’ school, at work (turns out, it’s a busy time of year when you work for Jesus), at home — everywhere I look, there’s something to do and not enough time. Unfortunately it took having children of my own to understand just how hard my parents worked to make this season so special for me and my brothers.
I was having one of these panic moments yesterday, because I had too many places to be at the same time. I thought about skipping a meeting because it wasn’t absolutely necessary, and it had potential to make me late to the next event. But I went anyway — and I am so glad I did. It was a clergy meeting of local pastors who were blessing the space at Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church (SMUUCh) as they begin their ministry with Project 1020 of serving those experiencing homelessness with a warm place to sleep. Seeing those beautiful cots set up and praying over them squeezed my heart and washed Holy Spirit calm over me. I realized my holiday stress is only in existence because of my privilege. I am so extremely blessed to have a home, supportive family, financial security, and many safety nets. The fact that I can be anxious over the tasks I have to do speaks to how fortunate I am that I don’t have to stress over the basics, like finding a place to sleep out of the cold. I am so thankful for the caring ministry at SMUUCh and for Project 1020. I can’t wait to see how our community will support this awesome program.
As my Christmas to-do list continues to grow, I will breathe deeply and thank God for the type of holiday stress I have. I will be mindful of those who don’t find this time of year to be very fun and full of hope. I will pray that God helps me find the words to say, the ways to help, and the grace and patience for everyone around me. I will take moments to pray for those who aren’t feeling the stress of the holidays, but the anxiety of their current situation. I will remember that it will all get done, and the part that is the most fulfilling isn’t on a to-do list, it’s in the time spent with those I love.
For more information about Project 1020, visit www.project1020.com.
Emily Nelson Dixon
Director of Teen Ministries and Outreach