A Withy Little Christmas

A few years ago, I led a “Christmas Memories & Traditions” table talk for our women’s ministry. I wanted to include the “not-so-good” Christmas memories that we carry with us as they often mark our Christmases going forward. I incorporated questions like, “When was your least favorite Christmas and why?”, “Have you ever been sick or in the hospital at Christmastime?”, “Have you ever lost a loved one or pet at Christmas?”, and “Do you feel more lonely at Christmastime? If so, why?”

By including these types of questions, people began sharing heartaches and disappointments that seemed more poignant because they occurred at Christmas. It made me aware that Christmas comes barreling along no matter what. In our nation, there is no escape from it…even if we wanted to. Christmas, in some way, shape, or form, is in our face for at least a month. It waits for no one. It stops for no one.

Not prepared? No money, no energy, no time? I’m sorry; here comes Christmas anyway.

Suffering the loss of a loved one? Even if they died on Christmas Day, it’s still Christmas.

Depressed and not in the mood to celebrate? Too bad, Christmas comes just the same.

As well it should because it marks the end of an era and the beginning of the greatest one. We went from B.C. to A.D. with the wail of a newborn baby. And the world still marks this day, even if it isn’t Jesus’ real birthday. And since we ourselves are not the center of the universe, it is right and good that a singular day reminds us of the singular Person who IS at the center.

But what can we do if Christmas is the saddest and most difficult time of year for us? What if the anticipation of Christmas contains some dread for us, what then?

The enemy of our souls wants nothing more than to mar and permanently scar our celebrations of the birth of Christ. That is why he and his minions work overtime to disillusion, discourage, and bring despair to us at the season of Christmas. It is amazing how much trauma and pain is inflicted every year as we celebrate Jesus’ birth. This is intentional to try to cause God’s people to avoid or even hate Christmastime because of the painful memories.

I myself suffered several Christmases in the throes of anxiety where I could not pull off the traditional celebrations with my family. These are now distant memories, but I can easily pull them up with a single thought. And it took a while before I became free from the ghost of my Christmas Past.

One of the most powerful means of becoming free from difficult Christmas memories is the reiteration of Immanuel: God with us even in our distress. With — a small, common preposition, is one of the most comforting, restorative words. Having someone with you makes all the difference when you are feeling lonely, frightened, or despondent. The word with in the Greek is “para,” which means “from close beside or alongside.” It’s the prefix in the word “paraklete”, which is a name for the Holy Spirit, one who is “called to our side.” It stresses nearness. It’s similar to the Latin prefix,”com,” from which we get our words communion, community, companion, communication, comfort, and company.

This Christmas may you know all the power of WITH! And have yourself a “withy” little Christmas! As I wrote this last sentence “withy” did not give me a spellcheck, which told me it’s a real word. Not being familiar with it, I looked it up and found that a withy is a strong, flexible willow stem, typically used in thatching and basketmaking. Hence, withy also means flexible and tough. I am using the term to mean “remember who is WITH you at Christmas,” but it can also mean “remember how flexible and tough you are in Christ!” Here are some practical suggestions to have a very withy Christmas.

Isaiah 7:14 NLT “All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

~ Janet Mueller
~ photo by Matteo Raw on Unsplash