Christmas is in like 10 days. Maybe less. I was reading Matt’s diary and it got me to thinking about Christmas. Not that I haven’t given it a second thought. I am a minister. The celebration of the birth of the founder of my religion can’t go completely unnoticed. However, besides a couple of scant references in some articles I’ve written and the church Christmas banquet (held at the only chinese restaraunt in town) I haven’t really even noticed that Christmas is coming. I guess most of that is because I’m neither married nor the father of any children. Holidays to me are just the days that everything is close and you can’t go anywhere. Perhaps I live a somewhat charmed life too. “Christmas Spirit” seems to be more of salve to those bumped harshly by the normal tenor of this world. It’s a brief respite from the brutal crashing about that most people struggle with everyday. I suppose I should use Christmas as a time to look back and be thankful that just about all of my days are blessed.

However, my typical response to the season this year is “Oh great, I have to take two weeks out of my schedule to trudge halfway across the country! I don’t have time for this!” It’ll be nice to see everyone back east… but I’ve so much to do!

I guess a public forum isn’t really the best place to get all introspective. I’m just wondering about what’s different about me. Everyone else is eager to take time off, be with relatives, etc. Other people are depressed about being “alone” on Christmas — I’m relieved. I think some of that is anxiety about performing the jolly Bob Crachit routine with someone else. Call me Jacob Marley but I’d love to stay at home with old scrooge and get some work done over Christmas. Bah!

Well, Christmas does mean that God loved humanity enough to come into this world as one of us, to feel the weight of everyday pressures, the temptations, struggles, hurts and depression that all of us feel everyday. And He did it all because we need Him here. We need him near. We need to know that He understands. He came as a nobody. Just a backwoods carpenter in an unimportant part of the world. Just for me.

Merry Christmas.