“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; On those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9:2

The week sandwiched in between Christmas and New Years is a weird one. The hype over Christmas is over. The shopping frenzy is done (or at least it’s winding down). Family returns home. Decorations seem out of place. And time seems to halt in eerie silence as a new year full of the unknown stands at the door. Though there’s a sense of accomplishment or relief that one year is complete, there is also apprehension at the unknown in a new one: What do the next 12 months hold? And will I be able to handle it?

Yes, I believe we will. As long as we allow the light of Christmas to shine long after the boxes are put away. Christmas isn’t a December 25th thing. It’s a whole year thing. It’s not a Hallmark holiday. It’s a Divine Pronouncement. Earth-shattering news for which shepherds and wise men and old priests and small children had been waiting for so very, very long. News that so many still search for today.

Without a doubt, the light of Christmas holds enough power to illuminate 2009, whatever it holds. IT DOES. And, we mustn’t be selfish. The light isn’t just for us. It’s for the real people we encounter every day. From family members who greet us at the breakfast table to checkout clerks who bags our groceries. The light ignited within the heart at Christmas is meant to spill out on the surrounding darkness every day that follows. Our words, smiles, demeanor, grace, attitude–ALL of this can be a source of light and hope and connection and relationship. And our passion for living has the potential to inspire those who despair to allow the light of Christmas to change their lives with good news, too. Hope is powerful. More powerful than we realize. And if we dare to carry hope like a lantern, there’s a good chance we’ll end up shining as a beacon of real truth to real people looking for someone to illuminate their way.

How are you going to light your world this year?

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

“Stop, just stop,” I yelled. “Can you girls please quiet down? Mommy is trying to drive through snow and ice and I need to concentrate.” The piercing words rolled off my tongue. I glanced in the rearview mirror noticing that my oldest was hushing her sister. I also noticed the once smiling faces now showed a hint of disappointment.

I maneuvered the car carefully down the street. The outside temperature was barely above zero. What was I thinking going out on a night like this? The weather was one thing to contend with, but I knew that I was in a rotten mood from the stressful day I had just experienced. I was in no way ready to be jolly and spread Christmas cheer while we visited the man in the red suit.

I glanced in the now quiet backseat. Both girls were staring out the window in silence. What have I done I thought? Actually, I knew exactly what I had done. Not only had I robbed them of their joy and excitement, but I had let stress rob me of my joy. I wanted this night to be perfect for my girls. After all I had so many great memories of my childhood Christmases and all the activities surrounding it. For one evening, I wanted them to capture a bit of that magic.

Have you ever thought about how the Christmas season has changed for you over the years? Or why you don’t have the same feelings about Christmas that you did as a child? Have you ever wondered why your hopes about Christmas as a child turned into expectations and needs as you grew older? I believe that if we really examine our lives carefully we will see in some way we have let stress steal Christmas.

Picture with me, a child. This child can hardly contain his excitement on Christmas morning. He is so excited to tear open the brightly wrapped packages under the tree. In his mind he is hoping that Santa came through with his wishes, but he also knows he will be happy with whatever is given to him.

Now picture this child as a teenager. He sleeps in a little longer on Christmas morning because he is older now and the excitement just isn’t the same. He slowly saunters downstairs and sees, once again, brightly wrapped packages. A little more self absorbed this year, he thinks to himself how much he needs that expensive cell phone he asked for, and in some way expects his parents to have given it to him.

Now a grown man he hopes to just make it through Christmas. With a family of his own, a mortgage, a dead-end job and bills to pay, he needs the Holidays to just be over. Stress takes over and joy flees.

Scary illustration? However, it is a true depiction of Christmas for so many. Do you realize that most stress is self-induced? If you really look closely at stress, it’s a feeling. Sometimes it manifests itself in anger, sometimes in sadness, and sometimes just an irritable mood. But I believe most often stress is disproportionate to the actual problem. I was not stressed about the trip to see Santa. I was stewing over all the things I wasn’t getting done, and I almost allowed stress to steal a wonderful Christmas event with my daughters.

You see, we so easily forget what an amazing gift we received a few thousand years ago. Our hopes, expectation and needs can all be met by one person, our Prince of Peace, Jesus. He was not sent to condemn His people, but to save them. He does not want us to live bound by stress, but live free in Him.

There is a set of scriptures that in my mind illustrates the whole point of Christmas. It’s ones we have known and probably memorized since we were knee high. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” John 3:16 – 18

May this Christmas be different for all of us. May our reflection be on the life Jesus led here on earth and the ultimate sacrifice He made so we could be free. May we cling to the truth that Jesus is our Prince of Peace and stress will have no place in our lives this Christmas.