Saying Goodbye

Thanksgiving is now behind us, and we are entering into, perhaps, the busiest season of all.  With so much on the "to do" list leading up to Christmas, you would think I'd be busy as a beaver.  Instead, I find myself sitting in my favorite blue chair, iPad in hand, mindlessly scrolling through Facebook and playing an addictive word game I discovered.  Productive has not been in my vocabulary.

It is now the last day of November, and time to say goodbye to the fall decorations.  I love the colors of fall, and the thankful theme they remind me of.  And yet, as the days go by, I realize the Thanksgiving season is now behind us, and it is time to dig out the totes of Nativity sets and Christmas decorations to replace them.  I'm reminded of the butterfly hanging in my bathroom which tells me, "If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies."

The butterfly was given to me after the death of my dear aunt Mabel in August, and suddenly I'm finding there may be a subconscious reason I'm dragging my feet getting into the Christmas spirit.  There will be something missing from the season this year.  Be it seasons or special people, it is hard to say goodbye! 

The good news of the Christmas story is the arrival of Jesus as a baby.  Leaving the splendor of heaven, He opted to enter the world in the most humble of settings. . .a stable.  He said goodbye to heaven because He knew He had a mission to accomplish here on earth.  That mission was to grow, experience all we do, and then journey to the cross to die for the forgiveness of our sins. 

The story of Jesus doesn't end at the cross, however, and that's the reason we can be comforted when loved ones pass away.  It is never saying, "Goodbye," but rather, "See you later!"  And so, it is time to face the inevitable.  Seasons are constantly changing, but they always lead to new reasons to rejoice.  I do believe it is time to play some Christmas CD's!