Scrooge Time

I’ve been accused (with some validity to the accusations) of being a Christmas scrooge.  I have never been stingy and greedy, as the fictional character, but have never really made a big to-do over the holiday.  I hereby confess that the scrooge act is just that…an act.  I really do enjoy the holidays.  I just have difficulty when it comes to sparkling, luminous, and jolly.
I enjoy several things about Christmas.  I enjoy hearing good renditions of the carols.  It seems that everyone has a Christmas collection out, but there are considerably more collections than there are GOOD performances.  I like choral groups and songs such as found in The Messiah.  I like solo performances, if done by someone who can sing (The Beatles, Johnny Cash, and Madonna cannot sing).  And I like the old crooners such as Bing Crosby.
I also enjoy decorating outdoors with lights.  No flashing lights.  No strings of white-only lights.  No fancy motion displays.  Just colored lights.  Our town home does not lend itself to that this year, and I’ve only decorated some bushes out front and hung the old wooden tree that my folks had for many years.  I miss the hundreds of lights and multiple strings that I used to hang on our fence in Harper.  I had a thousand feet of lights there, and it looked pretty good.
I like the relatives, friends, and all that go with them…meals, games, visiting, etc.  There’s nothing quite like being surrounded by others who know and love me, even though I have some scrooge-like qualities.
I also enjoy our annual family name-drawing each year.  There are enough in the family that we don’t tire of it and are challenged each year to find something appropriate for a family member.  This year my niece Anna had my name.  I received a big box from her with three gifts inside, individually wrapped.  Am I the favorite Uncle Jay or what???
So, you enjoy the holidays by being bubbly, enthusiastic, and radiant.  I’ll enjoy them just as much, and with a lot less energy expended.  Above all, I know I have a hope and a faith in the One who is the great I AM.