Unconditional love - the greatest gift of all.

Today is Christmas, a  day of reflection, gratitude and celebration. It is also one of the saddest days of the year for many. 

As I clear the dishes left from our own family meal, I find myself reflecting on how sadness has sneakily creeped into my own life, taking up space right next to love, gratitude and happiness. I remind myself of the importance of not allowing it to overshadow the legitimate tenants of my head and heart, sadness is limited to enjoy short visits only.

Our tables are still filled with laughter, good food and crackers, but the empty chairs are stark reminders of  the reality of a life lived here on earth. Nothing remains the same. Life in our own country in particular has become incredibly challenging and the reality is that many families have decided to emigrate. We were not exempt. Parts of our family heart is now scattered all over the world. 

We will celebrate Christmas with them during whichever month of the year we are able to see each other. Christmas in July could very well become Christmas in February, March or October and it will be as special as the real thing! So I'll allow sadness to stay for a little while only.

One empty chair in particular stands out this year. That of my mother, who has been in frail care for a number of years now. Christmas celebrations around her table are forever etched in my memory. Her food was always prepared with so much love and her home was warm and welcoming. The importance of remembering the real reason for celebrating Christmas was never forgotten. After our gathering yesterday, we took Christmas to her. 

She looked so tiny in her big hospital bed. We put on Christmas music and as Nat King Cole sang about chestnuts on an open fire and children putting on their smiles, we did exactly that. We put on our biggest smiles and filled her room with love, the only gift that has any true value for her in this season of her life. We laughed around her bed and true to form, she even managed to make us laugh as well with a comment or word here and there, reminding us of her particular style of humour. What a priceless gift that was, considering that we were not sure that we would get any response from her at all. Sadness was allowed to stay for a little while only.

I don't know how present sadness is in your Christmas. I suspect that we all have our fair share of it, whether we invited it in or not. For me, I choose to counter sadness with everything I have. As a surfer learns to ride out a wave before being engulfed by it, I choose to stay standing, even as the next wave heads my way.

If this is a sad or lonely time for you, know that you are loved more than you can ever imagine, even though it might not feel so right now. Matthew 28:20 says: 'I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' These are the words of the Lord, the One who created us. It is a promise for right now, tomorrow and forever. He also says in Jeremiah 29:11 that we should search for Him with all our hearts and that His plan for us is not to harm us but to give us peace, a future and hope. 

In John 16:33 a harsh reality is cushioned on both sides by both a precious promise and a truth: 'These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.'

I can think of no better role model than my mother - she is someone who lived out (and still does, even in her hospital bed), everything that I have been taught to believe, as is written in the Bible. She developed Rheumatoid Arthritis in her forties. Now in her eighties, she has been crippled by it. At this stage a host of other health challenges have been added to what she has to deal with on a daily basis. Despite all of this, her faith has never wavered. I remember saying to her a few years ago that because of her example, my own faith was shaped and cemented. If she did not blame or condemn the Lord for her suffering here on earth, who am I to question Him. She has set the standards high, along with a number of my friends who bravely fought incredibly hard battles with cancer and MSA. They too, grew in faith the harder their earthly battles became.

Sadness is only allowed to stay for a while.

The one common thing that I see in my mother and all the other people whom I hold in high esteem as treasured personal role models, is that they all truly embraced the fruits of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5:22-23: 'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. Against such there is no law.'

I will never forget the moment she looked into my son's eyes yesterday as he showed her his little girl. Intently focussed on him, she said  "I don't know who you are, but I love you." When I told her a while later that we love her, she countered with: "And I love you all more."

The purest, loved-filled heart never forgets. Never. Words and memories might be all jumbled for her right now but her love remains steadfast.  

What an example.

As we celebrate Christmas today, I remind you of the words of the well known song, 'Mary did you know', it goes like this: 'Mary did you know that your baby is Lord of all creation?' All creation. That includes all of us, no-one is left out.

That is what we celebrate today.

So if you are feeling sad or lonely, even forgotten on this day, I hope these reflections have given you hope. You are loved, you do matter and there is hope. I believe this with my whole heart.

From our home to yours, we wish you a blessed Christmas.