Welcome to the 14th day of the 2010 Harbor Street Celebration! Today we have a guest post from Doug Matlock, singer, songerwriter and minister. Enjoy!
Christmas
By Doug Matlock
Most of us have some sort of Christmas tradition that we are part of from year to year. For some this is driving all over the United States making the rounds to see every family member we know of. Some people eat on Christmas Eve, open gifts on Christmas morning, or any variation of the two.
For my family, we had a tradition of going to my grandparent’s house in Checotah, Oklahoma, on Christmas Eve. Most years we would eat a Christmas meal together and open gifts that evening. I loved it there, and my grandpa was one of my best friends. It was truly a highlight of the year.
In 2007, we did this same tradition. Not every year would everyone in the family be there, but on this year all of the immediate family within my mom’s side were there. We had a great meal, and I sat next to my grandpa, which was my normal spot at the table. We had a meal with each other, opened gifts, and enjoyed the evening.
Early on Christmas morning, we awoke to the commotion of grandpa falling from having a stroke. We called the ambulance, and it took him to the hospital in Muskogee.
This was not what I expected on Christmas day.
As I was sitting in the waiting room of the ER, I noticed I was not alone. There were many families sitting there. My phone kept buzzing with text messages of “Merry Christmas!” For me, it wasn’t so merry. It was one of those moments when I looked up and thought, “Really God? Today of all days?” Self-pity abounded for a while.
I held onto hope that grandpa would get better, but the doctors found he had a minor heart attack just a few days ago that went unnoticed as a heart attack. This was too much for him to recover from, and he died about a month later.
This was a tough thing for me to deal with. I know that no one lives forever, but now I had this painful memory associated with Christmas. At a time when we give gifts for Christmas, I had lost my grandpa and dear friend. But the more I thought about it, God revealed to me some truth about this time in my life.
Christmas has more of a complete meaning to me now. I know without a doubt that my grandpa was a believer in Christ and I will see him again after this life. For a time, I looked as Christmas as a time when I lost so much, but really I had the awesome gift of spending a great day before this all happened with my grandpa, and I got to be there when it was all over.
But also I remember a bit of the perspective of Christmas. We celebrate Christmas because God sent His Son to the Earth to make right what sin had made wrong. Jesus came to give that hope that I have of seeing my grandpa again one day. Peter describes it like this in 1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.”
Christmas and other holidays are not like they used to be. I still miss grandpa and miss those times on Christmas Eve. However, Christmas means more to me now. I truly see the hope that Christ has given us in Christmas above everything else. Many people in my situation can choose to be mad at God, but in the scope of His Kingdom it is a great way to share the complete story of how real Christ is in Christmas.
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6 comments:
Doug,
What a great post for Christmas! My dad passed away just a few days before his 78th birthday (right before Thanksgiving) two years ago. If it weren't for my faith in Christ, I would be so devastated not knowing if I would ever Dad again or not. I still miss him a lot, but it seems like he's just in the next room waiting for me to finish my "errands" here and then I can see him again.
Have a joyous and peaceful Christmas!
~ Jolene
Oops!
...ever *see* Dad...
Doug, thank you for sharing this. Since the passing of my husband and my daughter, Christmas has been sad for me, but I'm lifted up by the assurance I have of seeing them again in Heaven! Christ is the Reason for the Season, and I can rejoice in that. May you have a Blessed Christmas and New Year.
Very moving! Doug I won your sampler CD. I don't listen to Christian music much but it was really good. Thanks.
Doug,
As I was reading your story, I was thinking how wonderful that you had such a positive final time with your grandfather. How fortunate your family was that your tradition was to gather on Christmas Eve, so, despite the huge let down and negative association with Christmas day now, you all had that glorious final memory and tradition to share.
Great post, Doug. It really points out what is important...at Christmas or anytime...the relationships we treasure with loved ones. And thanks to our Savior, those can be eternal. I didn't have close relationships with my grandfathers. One died before I was born, the other lived in Mississippi so I saw him infrequently. But I have 6 grandchildren and treasure my relationships with them and hope they will with me. When we invest our time in loving these little ones, we reap a wonderful reward that lasts and lasts. Merry Christmas to you all!
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