by Myra Johnson
Greetings, Seekerville! I’m so grateful to Missy for inviting me to join you again this Advent season to share Christmas memories.
I couldn’t decide on a single memory, partly because the Christmases that most readily come to mind aren’t necessarily the happiest. But perhaps those are the times that eventually mean the most because of the lessons they teach us about ourselves, our faith, and our God.
Like the first Christmas when neither of our daughters could be with us. One was married and spending the holiday with her husband’s family. The other, in college a few hundred miles away, chose to stay on campus and have Christmas with her best friend’s family. I was deeply immersed in self-pity that year, which I’m sure made the holiday a little less pleasant for everyone around me.
Since then, we’ve had more than a few occasions when distance combined with other circumstances prevented us from spending the holidays with our children and grandchildren—and it’ll be that way again this Christmas. Lonely holidays are one very big reason we made the decision this past year to move back to Texas, where we now have siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews nearby. Reconnecting with our extended family has been an ongoing blessing of support, companionship, and just plain fun!
God sets the lonely in families… (Psalm 68:6, NIV)
Another Christmas still strong in my memory happened two years ago, when we came home from the Christmas Eve candlelight service to discover our sweet elderly Shadow-dog in heart failure. We hurried him to the emergency veterinary hospital, then waited and prayed until early into Christmas morning. The doctor finally told us to go home and check back in several hours. Later on Christmas Day, we brought Shadow home, and though he was very weak, with medication and lots of TLC, he slowly improved over the next two weeks—until a sudden devastating setback sent us rushing to the vet clinic. We knew it was time to let him go, but I cherish our memories of this special rescue dog and thank God for the blessing of having him (and all the pets we’ve loved) in our lives.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4, NIV)
Though the Christmas of 2017 brought heartbreak, it also came with a symbol of hope. For several years I had been asking my husband if we could plant a redbud tree in the backyard. That Christmas, he surprised me with one. The blooms were sparse the following spring as the tree took root, and before I could see this year’s blossoms, we made our cross-country move from North Carolina to Texas. I missed my little tree, so earlier this month, we brought home another little redbud and planted it in our new backyard. As I anticipate those lovely magenta blooms, I’m reminded of the hope that only faith in Christ can offer: Reconciliation. Renewal. Rebirth. (I like those “3 Rs”!)
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior… (Titus 3:4–7, NIV)
Have you faced a difficult Christmas season that brought unexpected blessings and helped you grow in faith? Tell me about it in the comments. And no matter what your holidays bring this year, may you dwell in Christ’s eternal promise:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18–19, NIV)
Today I’m giving away this beautiful Tree of Life cross (U.S. shipping address only), as well as a copy of my latest Love Inspired release, Their Christmas Prayer (ebook or print edition as available). To be entered in either or both drawings, mention your interest in the comments.
Have a blessed Christmas, my Seekerville friends!
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Native Texan Myra Johnson writes emotionally gripping stories about love, life, and faith. Myra is a three-time Maggie Awards finalist, two-time finalist for the prestigious ACFW Carol Awards, winner of Christian Retailing’s Best for historical fiction, and winner in the Inspirational category of the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Awards. After living five years in Oklahoma, then eight years in the beautiful Carolinas, Myra and her husband are thrilled to be back in the Lone Star State enjoying wildflowers, Tex-Mex, and real Texas barbecue! The Johnsons share their home with two very pampered rescue dogs who don’t always understand the meaning of “Mom’s trying to write.” They’ve also inherited the cute little cat (complete with attitude) their daughter and family had to leave behind when they moved overseas.
Don't forget the overall Advent giveaway!
Myra, welcome back! What beautiful and poignant stories to share. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ruthy! Nice to visit again!
DeleteDarlings, I brought Coffee!!!! And Tea... and Eggnog. Let the joyous day begin!
ReplyDeleteEggnog. Must send Project Guy to the supermarket for some. Keep forgetting--and that's one thing our Christmas season has been missing!
DeleteGood morning, Myra! It's so wonderful to see you here. Thank you for sharing the stories from your heart. I was thinking the other day about the expectations of Christmas. For those of us old enough to remember - back when Dallas and Dynasty ruled the airwaves, I remember reading about a phenomenon they caused. So many women were suddenly unsatisfied with their lives because they didn't have the glamorous homes and lives that Alexa and Krystle enjoyed. There was some name that psychologists gave the syndrome, but essentially it aroused feelings of dissatisfaction in people who had otherwise been content in their lives. I feel like our Hallmark sense of Christmas does that to many of us also. If we don't have that white picket fence, cookie-baking, snowball-fighting, tree-lighting community and family celebration, we've missed Christmas. But, if we truly have God in our hearts, and we celebrate the birth of his son, we will embrace the true spirit of Christmas. So, when we're feeling low, we can remember that there were no snowball fights in Bethlehem that year, and it was truly only the very smallest of family gatherings that brought so much love and light into the world.
ReplyDeleteThanks for inspiring me so early in the morning, Myra!
Cate, this is deep and so true. If we really seek Him in Advent, Christmas will be okay. Whatever it turns out to be.
DeleteKathy
Oh, so true, Cate! I think social media has caused some of the same dissatisfaction. We get to see what others' best and most fun times are and not always the everyday struggles. We need more reminders of Jesus as the true reason for celebrating Christmas instead of the secularized "Hallmark versions."
DeleteYay!! I can finally comment!! I had to switch to Chrome to get it to work. Safari wouldn't let me comment all day yesterday or today.
ReplyDeleteMyra, welcome back! I'm so glad to have you with us again today!!
It's so tough when the holidays are hit by grief. I shared some of that in my post this month. But I'm thankful for the joy we can feel at Christmas. The birth of a baby, the Savior of the world!
Missy, I found out a long time ago that Blogger didn't cooperate well with Safari, so now when I visit blogs, I usually use Chrome, especially if I have any hope of commenting. And thanks again for inviting me to visit!
DeleteI think we must all learn eventually not to pin our hopes on a "perfect" Christmas, but to look for and appreciate the small joys as they come. And always to remember it's about Jesus coming to be with us in our imperfect lives.
Myra, I've had all of the above -- Christmases of bereavement, Christmases away from loved ones, CHristmases of poverty and loss, and times when I've had to paste on a smile and sally forth. It is truly a time to draw even closer to Him.
ReplyDeleteDon't put me in the drawing, I bought the book. Sweet words to a writer's soul, even if they don't come in candy-cane paper.
Kathy Bailey
Thank you, Kathy! Yes, sometimes just smiling and carrying on is the best we can do--always trusting that Christ will give us the strength we need to face each day.
DeleteThank you Myra for sharing. I've experienced difficult holiday seasons when everything else around me was a mess, but I still wanted to focus on Christ rather than what or who I didn't have with me. It's in those times when our faith is tested that Christ can become so much more precious to us than anything or any one else we desire. So despite how challenging those Christmases have been, they've still been precious.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
Please enter me in the drawing for the book. :)
Exactly, Lee-Ann! We may not always recognize the blessings of difficult times until much later, but they can be found if we seek them through God's eyes.
DeleteWow, Myra. It sounds like you've had a year filled with big ups and downs. I'm so glad you're near extended family. As I read about your first Christmas with your daughters not there, it got me thinking. It's only a few more years before our sons are out of the house. I will definitely miss having them home when they go elsewhere for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteLast Christmas season was really stressful for us. My mom broke her hip and her wrist in a fall. I made 10 trips to Denver (about 75 minutes one way) between Dec 6-24th to help my parents get their home set up for her recovery, to attend doctor's appointments, to just be there. We put most of our other "normal" Christmas activities on hold so I could be there for them. I was so thankful to have been able to do that, and we saw how God showed up in the small details during her recovery. Today, she's just about completely back to normal.
I hope your Christmas holds unexpected joys this year, Myra!
Yes, Jeanne, those first experiences of "empty nester" holidays are eye-openers. And what a Christmas you had last year! I can only imagine how draining all those trips were, but how wonderful you could be so much help for your parents. So glad your mother has healed well and is getting back to normal! Hoping this Christmas is much less stressful and filled with all kinds of blessings for you and your family!
DeleteJeanne, I'm so glad your mom is almost back to normal! It's a really slow recovery.
DeleteMerry Christmas, Myra! Good to see you here; loved your post. I've read your book so don't enter me. I really loved it! Blessings on you in 2020.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jackie! Nice to "see" you in Seekerville again, too! All the best!
DeleteMerry Christmas, Myra! It's so great to see you here!
ReplyDeleteChristmas is such a touchy time, isn't it? I think my most memorable (and hardest) was the Christmas before my mom went into the Alzheimer's care facility, about five years before she passed away. She didn't do well leaving home, so I stayed with her on that Sunday morning (it was Christmas Eve) while my dad and the rest of the family went to church. I found an old movie on television and we watched it together. It was a strange way to celebrate Christmas, but that was the year I realized that my warm fuzzy Christmas expectations were not something I could create on my own or depend on anyone else to do it for me. The only way ensure having a good Christmas is to focus on the true meaning - and there is no better way to celebrate each year. :-)
Of course, that doesn't mean you can't have a warm fuzzy Christmas! I just don't worry about it on the years that it doesn't happen.
And this year is an almost-empty-nest Christmas for us. Only one of the four children (and his girlfriend) will be spending the day with us. But we'll have a good time, I know...because my thoughts will be centered on Christ!
Jan, such a sweet memory of spending that Christmas Eve watching a movie with your mother. Sometimes it's the simpler, quieter times that turn out to mean the most. Even those years when Project Guy and I spent Christmas alone, we found fun things to do together and enjoy each other's company.
DeleteEnjoy your Christmas with your son and his girlfriend! We're looking forward to a lovely day with siblings & spouses plus a nephew and his family.
Jan, that's such a sweet story about your mother. I love watching old movies with my mom at her place. :) It feels very normal, something she has always enjoyed.
DeleteI'm sure you'll have fun with your small group! I bet you may even play a game or two of Settlers of Catan. :)
Hi Myra, Great to hear from you again. I had no idea you were going through such difficult Christmas times. I knew about the empty nest Christmas but those with loss are tough. We are facing that ourselves. Last Christmas, the cousin we spent Christmas with passed away right at Christmas time. We were still in shock but this year are really feeling the loss. So like you, we're finding new traditions and extended family gatherings are part of them for us also. Friends also. smile Have a blessed Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThe first Christmas after a loss is especially hard. Our son-in-law lost his father to cancer a year ago just a few days after Thanksgiving. His mother spent both last Christmas and now this holiday also with them, which I know has helped bring comfort. Family and close friendships are blessings we too often take for granted. Merry Christmas!
DeleteSandra, I remember that loss. I'm so sorry for how difficult it will be again this year. Blessings on all of you as you remember the good times.
DeleteYes, Missy, remembering the good times helps. RVing has taught us a good lesson. In the RV world you never say goodbye because you eventually run into each other again. It is the same way with death. We're not saying goodbye. We're just saying "See ya later." smile
DeleteMyra! Welcome back to Seekerville! It's always such a pleasurable day when you're here! The holidays can be hard, and it's hard to remember to look for the blessings all the time, and yet they're there when we've mourned for awhile.
ReplyDeleteI love your redbud tree! We had one in our yard growing up, and I always wanted one way up here in the northland...but redbuds weren't tough enough...until now! I got my winter-hardy redbud two years ago, and I rejoice in its blooms in the spring!
Oh, yay, Erica! So glad you found a winter-hardy redbud! I think they are so beautiful and can't wait for ours to bloom this spring. The church we belonged to in NC had redbuds in the medians all up and down the parking lot. One year, the redbuds AND the Bradford pears bloomed at the same time, and the magenta redbuds against a backdrop of white Bradford pear blossoms was out of this world!
DeleteI, too, love redbuds! They're usually the first blooms we see around here. :)
DeleteMyra, that sounds beautiful!
I'm finally back from doctor visits with my mom all day, plus picking up groceries for Christmas. I'll try to catch up asap!
ReplyDeleteThis is always a busy time of year, Missy--hard stay on top of everything! We have something every single day between now and December 29!
DeleteWow what beautiful stories. I would love to be entered in both contests. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas Myra!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Patricia! Merry Christmas, and I'm glad you stopped by!
DeleteWhat a beautiful Christmas post, Myra. It's so wonderful having you visit us!!!
ReplyDeleteLove the new book!
Thanks, Mary! Nice to be back!
DeleteThank you for the chance. I’m struggling this year with my daddy passing last month. I’ve had difficult Christmas and wonderful but God is always faithful. Blessings and Merry Christmas 🎁🎄
ReplyDeleteLucy, I'm so sorry. You and your family will be in my prayers.
DeleteLucy, my heart goes out to you. May God bless you with sweet memories of your dad this Christmas and in the days ahead.
DeleteGreat to see you here, Myra. I have Their Christmas Prayer. I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sandy! Hope you have a lovely Christmas!
DeleteWe just lost our home of 13 years... moved from the country into a town and into an Apt. This is so different for us and this is our first Christmas not in our home...
ReplyDeleteWith God we will get through this.
Blessings
Linda Marie Finn
faithfulacresbooks@gmail.com
Linda, I’m so sorry about the loss of your home. Praying you will find new hope and joy as you adjust to the changes. Yes, with God you WILL get through this.
DeleteA Christmas that was especially hard found my mother-in-law in the hospital in one town and my father-in-law in a nursing home in another place. We visited both of them on Christmas Day and even though she was released a few days later, my mother-in-law never recovered and passed away the next February.
ReplyDeleteI would love to be in your drawing. Merry Christmas!
Connie
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com
That must have been a very difficult Christmas, Connie, and I’m so sorry for the loss of your mother-in-law. Praying this Christmas comes with many blessings and only the best and happiest memories of your loved ones.
DeleteMyra, so good to hear from you again. I'm so glad you were able to move near family - what a blessing to have your loved ones close. And I was touched by what you wrote about the redbud tree - we have two redbuds in our front yard in Glendale, Arizona. Best wishes in the new year and with your writing career. Dana McNeely
ReplyDeleteDana, we're so glad you stopped by!
DeleteThank you, Dana! I'm sure your redbuds are beautiful--and probably quite a bit more established than our newly planted "baby"! All the best to you, too, and a very merry Christmas!
Delete