Where has the time gone? What happened to Halloween? I am not really sure I am ready for Thanksgiving Day to be here. The holiday rush unofficially kicks off on Black Friday (Day after Thanksgiving). On this day, some folks will camp out in front of the store, long before it opens, which they feel holds the key to happiness on Christmas Day. Others will continue a meticulous search until the ultimate happiness is located. Then there are those, like me, who coast through the holiday rush until they wake up in a panic realizing there is much work needed to be done. Ultimately, in each case, we are trying to be prepared for a single moment in time which is gone in the blink of an eye. Is it any wonder we walk around in a daze, looking confused, struggling to locate the happiness we so desire?
What brings about happiness for you during this time of the year? For me, I have always enjoyed watching Christmas movies. Nothing beats the classics. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (Claymation), A Charlie Brown Christmas, and A Christmas Carol (1938) are a few I enjoy. My absolute favorite is A Christmas Story based on a novel by Jean Shepherd. Hours upon hours are spent viewing many movies. Let’s not forget about “TBS presents” a “24-hours of A Christmas Story”. Unless all the movies are seen, the Christmas experience seems unfulfilled. Happiness is defined by the time wasted watching programs that bring about a temporary satisfaction. As soon as the holidays are over I am left with confused thoughts, asking “Is this all there is?”
In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we tend to expend energy in hopes of achieving happiness. During this process confusion at times creates a lack of direction. If we lose direction, then possibly we loose purpose. Without purpose, we see no hope for the future, much less the present. Everyday matters create a high level of distress. Solutions elude out grasp.
Advent starts the Sunday after Thanksgiving Day. In the next four weeks we will spend time preparing for the receiving of God’s gift in Jesus Christ. We are getting ready for the celebration of Christmas. Advent points towards God’s promise to dwell among us. In the midst of our hope and despair, all is not lost since God is walking with us. We see purpose for our lives. In that purpose, hope abounds leading us to happiness. A permanent happiness that fulfills every molecule of our being is found in Jesus Christ. As we experience a transformation in our lives, we are able to see the needs of others. We then take the hope found in Advent to the community through our outreach: a happiness that never ends.
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