By Bethany Riehl
I read a post the other day that said, “October, November, and December are like Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.” I chuckled because I find it to be true, although I understand not everyone does. For some, this time of year is full of busyness, chaos, and even strife. I can’t take that away for you, but I can point you to the One who can.
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).
What if we could collectively make this our mantra for the rest of the year and beyond? When all of the fuss and bother of life presses in, we could think to ourselves, “Who is the LORD?” and respond to ourselves with, “The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and His mercy is over all that He has made” (Psalm 145:8,9). With this truth on our lips, we can go forward in thankfulness for who He is and all that He has done.
At the time of this writing, it’s a gorgeous October day. I’m on my back porch, listening to the neighbors mow one last time before sprinklers are shut off for the year. A breeze keeps circling back to shake more dried leaves from the trees around me, causing them to drift and dance on their descent to the grass below. Someone has a fire going; the combination of woodsmoke and sun-dried leaves is the quintessential scent of autumn. It’s quiet and peaceful.
I know, however, that in the not-too-distant future, I’ll be working several Saturdays in a row alongside my family to rake up all of these leaves. We’ll bash around with paper bags on our heads, looking ridiculous as we try to reach deep inside to get them open enough to dump the leaves in. It will be fun, and it will also very much not be so fun.
Then will come Thanksgiving preparations, a lovely dinner with our families and then…(insert sparkly words here) Christmas season.
Also fun, and sometimes also not so much.
It’s actually the book of Ecclesiastes that encourages me to dive into all of the festivities with gusto, no matter how busy it might get. I can’t—and won’t—insist that there is a biblical call to celebrate holidays, but I do believe that God gave us this life to enjoy.
“There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from Him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?” (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25)
Joy in all things
Christians—more than anyone—should find joy in all things, great and small. Our greatest need has been resolved: our sin is forgiven and we stand justified and reconciled to our Creator. What joy! What a wonderful reason to participate in a holiday that invites us to stop and be thankful. After that, no matter how you observe Christmas, what a sweet season to stop and marinate on all that God has done.
Emmanuel, God with us. Let’s celebrate!
This does not mean we need to do all the things, bake all the things, or buy all the things. We don’t have to give in to all the “Noise, noise, noise,” to quote the Grinch.
Some simple traditions
I’ve learned over the years that it takes very little to help my family enjoy the season, just a few traditions that we replicate every year. Now that I have one adult and two teenagers in the home, they still look forward to our little traditions.
Maybe these will help spark some ideas for you as well.
The best way to enjoy each season is to get outside and relish the actual outdoors. You don’t have to buy fake branches and leaves to string along your mantel—you can use the real ones from outside and toss them when you’re done.
A walk through the park—hot drink in hand encouraged, though not mandatory—is a wonderful way to slow down and enjoy the changing of the trees, the crisp shift in the air. Especially here in the valley, we have numerous ways to enjoy all the autumn feels—a hike at Camel’s Back Park, a stroll down Warm Springs Avenue, the Greenbelt, even your own neighborhood.
I also enjoy a walk at Christmastime to look at the lights in our neighborhood. While you’re at it, deliver some goodies to the neighbors, share your joy in the Lord with them!
Take the kids out shopping one night. Let them pick out a present for a child in need, or make a gift basket for a widow, or family you know that’s having a hard season and spend time showing your kids what it looks like to serve others.
I could go on and on listing things my family likes to do this time of year (I could wax poetic for an entire article about my favorite Christmas movies alone, so I’ll spare you). In fact, I sat down to write this article with the intention of doing just that. But I realized that’s not actually going to be helpful. Social media, commercials, and signs seemingly on every corner are already shouting at you to do, do, do!
Here’s the thing, friends. We don’t have to do all the things. Just because something is on sale doesn’t mean we have to buy it (unless we already planned to, of course). Just because it’s the latest thing making the rounds on social media doesn’t mean we have to replicate it. We don’t even (she leans in close, looking all around before she whispers) have to invite any elves to live on our shelves if we don’t want to.
The only expectation our Lord has on us is to obey His commandments—not to earn His favor but because that’s what people who love Him do (John 14:14; 1 John), and to glorify Him.
So let us dance in the kitchen to festive songs.
Let us love our people and our neighbors well.
Let us cozy up under blankets with soft twinkle lights all around us and watch an old favorite movie (or five).
Let us…insert here your favorite way to enjoy the season…
Not because we have to do any of those things. But because we want to rejoice in Emmanuel, God with us.
God rest ye merry, dear friends. See you next year.
Bethany Riehl lives in the Treasure Valley with her husband, kids, and a dog. She writes articles and fictional novels when she can, and her one desire is to point others to the love and sufficiency of Jesus Christ.
