The Holidays are filled with the sparkle of lights, the fun of decorating the tree, the memories of different favorite ornaments, the excitement on little faces, and the delight when the tree is all decorated and the lights are turned on.

Then there are the wonderful smells coming from the kitchen, decorating Christmas cookies with the kids, and tasting that first Christmas cookie.  And let’s not forget the scrumptious smells of Christmas dinner cooking and then the family all gathered around the table talking and laughing and telling stories.

And the music!  Oh the joyous sound of Christmas music ringing out through the air everywhere you go, starting right after Thanksgiving.  Songs of joy and fun like Sleighride, and songs of worship that remind us of what Christmas is all about – the Word made flesh came to dwell among us, experiencing our pain and temptations so He could fully understand our struggles, and then dying on the cross for our sins, so we could have the promise of eternal life.

At our church, at the end of the service when the candles have been lit and Silent Night has been sweetly sung, everyone who would like is invited up to the stage to sing the Hallelujah Chorus.  What a glorious and uplifting sound it is!  So beautiful!  All of those voices magnifying God.  Wow!

And the presents.  What fun to watch the delight on little faces as they open their long-awaited gifts – love being passed out in brightly colored paper.  Joy fills the room in those special moments.

But now it’s January!  The village has grown dark and will be packed away in the boxes until next December.  The tree comes down along with all of the decorations with their sparkle and glow that lit up the room.  The boxes are packed away in the attic. The merry music is gone and we are left with the quite gray of January and the post-holiday slump.

Now I realize that some of you are just glad to get back to “normal”.  But if you get in a slump like I do, here is my remedy.  “The joy of the Lord is my strength” Neh. 8:10.  What I have discovered is that when  I don’t have any joy, I can borrow some from God.  His is unlimited and He loves to share it.  Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with His joy.  Notice this verse in Luke 10:21 “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit…”  Where did Jesus get his joy?  Through the Holy Spirt, and we can too.  Just ask and receive.  Every time you feel down, just ask for more of God’s joy to fill you.

My prayer for you this new season is, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.  Rom. 15:13

Have a joyful New Year.

Blessings,

Linnea