Yes, once again, the tinsel, eggnog and shopping malls have their place in our lives. But wait, could it be that perhaps we are missing the real holiday cheer in a nursing home. No, I have not been sucking on lead painted toys from China that you can buy in the dollar-rama. I am speaking about a paradigm shift of Christ-mas. Yesterday I was privileged to attend my children's Christmas concert. I was greatly surprised that the scene was not the infamous nativity with crooked haloed angels and a really fake baby in a manger. Rather, the performance centered in a nursing home played by 14 year old actors with spray painted gray hair. The story itself was about aged folk in the nursing home and their real experiences of loneliness and isolation. My favorite part in the concert was watching a grumpy old lady with dark humor, who despised life and everyone around her, shower everyone with discouragement. I came to the realization that there are people out there like that. Yet the quiet love of a Sunday School choir, the gentle visit from a grandson and the authenticity of the real story of Christmas broke through her hardened heart and all was well in nursing home-ville. Could it be that the parties and the tinsel and the eggnog are really garnishes on the real feats of Christmas, to love one another as God has loved us. Let's not forget that love is about action-maybe even visiting someone in the nursing home this Christmas.
Merry Christmas Off Campus!
No comments:
Post a Comment