It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

...or maybe it isn't feeling much like Christmas at all.

How will we celebrate our first Christmas here in Indonesia?

Right now I am empathizing with the Whoos in Whoville after the Grinch stole their Christmas stuff.  Is it still Christmastime when we don't have any snow, real Christmas trees, cool weather, and red or green clothing?  Can we celebrate without an abundance of decorations and presents?  How do we celebrate Christmas without a Christmas eve candlelight service at church (my favorite church service of the entire year)?  It is hard to even find the ingredients to make the foods that we usually enjoy this time of year (molasses for cookies, roast beef, etc.).

In town searching for baking ingredients.

The parallel between my first Christmas here and The Grinch that Stole Christmas is not a perfect one.  I think that the point of that story was that, for the Whoos, Christmas was not about stuff (decorations, toys, food) but was about people.  I don't have the stuff or most of the people who are important to me.  My Christmas traditions have always centered around spending time with family.  Now I live half a world away from these people who I love.  How can we celebrate Christmas without being able to be with our parents, siblings, and extended family?

Christmas is a celebration of Jesus' birth over 2,000 years ago.
"Joy to the world, the Lord is come.  Let earth receive her King.  Let every heart prepare Him room and heaven and nature sing..."

Jesus wasn't born into a snowy climate.  There were no Christmas trees, and the presents came from the wise men about 2 years later.  Jesus didn't get to meet his grandparents and aunts and uncles when he was born.  His parents had traveled far from home.  Yet, his birth was celebrated by angels and shepherds.  "Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11).  The point of Christmas is that Jesus left his beautiful home in Heaven and became human, was born as a baby, so that He could be the Savior for all people.  I have also left my home and moved far away.  I am obviously not the Savior, but I am here to be a blessing to people and to hopefully point towards the Giver of Life.

So I am hoping this Christmas that, while I know I will miss my family, friends, food, decorations, and traditions, I will also have a new understanding of the real meaning of Christmas.  I will post later about our search for Christmas decorations and the Christmasy things that we do get to participate in.  But for now I am encouraged to think about how Christmas is about the Incarnation...God becoming like us.  And by trying to live a different culture I am in a small way participating in a God-activity right here and now.


Please teach me the meaning of Christmas, Jesus, and help me not to be sad about what I am missing but to be thankful for the joy that you bring to the world...