Home » So, How Do We Honor Him

At this most special time, when we are especially reminded of our baby Jesus' birth, it may be a good time to think about how we honor him all throughout the year. Do we forget about His existence in our lives once the tree comes down, and the presents and lights are put away, and all the company leaves? We put the manger back in the box, and stick it up in the crawl space in the attic. We go back to work, we scream at our kids, we beep at the car in front of us that wasn't paying attention to the light turning green, we yell at the clerk at Duncan donuts because our coffee is too hot, we argue with our boss because our case load is too much for us. And this, my good people, is the day after Christmas.

For one single day throughout the year, we try to be calm and cheerful, and stick to traditions, and perfunctory conversations with family we only see that one day out of the year. We're probably thinking about how we're going to pay for this year's Christmas, one month after last Christmas's charges have been paid. It appears there is only a very short time that our minds think of the baby Jesus, and what he means to us, while we stare at the manger, and then move onto the shrimp.

Oh, a few months later we may be up for a promotion, and remember to say a few prayers to our Father. It might even dawn on us that we haven't said a word to him since the prayer at Christmas dinner. We get our promotion, and maybe a week later we remember to say a quick thank you as we are hailing a cab.

The idea is to think about Jesus and God and our angels and spirit guides who really are trying to protect us and watch out for us, and even guide us, throughout our day, not for a few minutes on a Holiday designated to do so. God doesn't go away, Jesus doesn't go away, our angels and spirit guides don't go away, but we do. We get busy with our relationships and our jobs and our responsibilities and our hardships. We can get so lost in trying to get everything done and taken care of in our daily lives, that we forget we can call on God and Jesus and the angels that await our requests for guidance and help. We try to do it all on our own. Sometimes, divine intervention is needed. Most times, divine intervention is needed.

We must try to incorporate the love and kindness we experience on Christmas, all throughout our year. A ceramic or glass or wooden Jesus may go in a box in the closet for the rest of the year, but He really isn't in that box. He is in our heart and our mind, and in our soul. He is waiting to help those in need. He doesn't want any of His children to suffer, or experience hard times, as long as they are doing their part. One cannot decide that after high school, they are going to bum around the city, and not work, and be homeless, and then ask God for Help. Oh, God will help, but probably in the form of letting this person know through their thinking, that they have to do more than sit on a doorstep collecting money if they are to succeed.

And I am not talking about the unfortunate people who have worked for years, got laid off, have no money, and are sitting on a stoop begging for money until they can figure out something else to do. We hold doors for people at Christmastime, we help women get their packages into their trunk, we smile and talk to the cashier, we hum the Christmas songs we've been hearing. We are sweet to our spouses and kids. It's a happy time. The bright Christmas lights bring joy to our hearts. The smell of chestnuts roasting tempt us.

The apple and pumpkin pies are a special treat. Life seems good. And then, the hours slip by, and Christmas day has come to an end. And it's back to the rat race. For some reason, there is anger and hostility and anxiety in the air once again. The Christmas decorations are down, the Christmas dinner is eaten, and we move on with our daily lives. Only those daily lives don't always consist of the same Christmasy attitudes. Even our little youngsters go back to their ways of driving us crazy, after all, they got what they wanted.

My wish for this Christmas is that people keep the attitude of love and caring and giving, all throughout the year. Jesus doesn't just come to pay His respects once a year. He is within every one of us, if we allow ourselves to shed the problems and frustrations of life, and remember to ask for His guidance and care. We need to do our part, whatever that is, being a good mother, a homemaker, a father, a sister, a brother, a worker, a friend, or a spouse. But even when we are doing everything we can to be honest, decent human beings, problems will come our way.

Convenient if that happens during Christmas, and our yearly prayers. But God and Jesus walk to the train station with us, and into the Duncan donuts, and at work behind our desk, and in the train or bus or car on the way home, or in our easy chair, or at the dinner table. We need to incorporate our God and Jesus in our daily lives, not just one day out of the year. His spirit is always with us. Let's try to remember that in the coming year. Leave a few minutes to talk to our Father, our God, each and every day. Ask him to stop us from being so frustrated and fearful and depressed and alone in our thoughts. Ask, and we shall receive.