What is Christmas Eve? Take a look at Grammy decorating cookies with our grandchildren.
Christmas Cookies with the Babies
You know, if you talk to young children, they may enthusiastically describe the toys they confidently hope to receive. But what is Christmas Eve? Talk to some parents, tired from shopping and wrapping. They may speak worriedly of next month’s forthcoming credit card bill. Speak with an older person and the conversation may hark back to childhood memories of Christmas passed when times, attitudes, and society’s thoughts turned on a different axis.
Talk to one businessperson and the world may turn on the financial results of the season. Talk to another, and Christmas Eve is merely one more interruption to the business of business. It is a short workday in the middle of a disjointed month interrupted by family stuff, parties, cards, overeating, slow mail, long lines, and just a bookend to the New Year or a religious waste of time after which something can get done. Some may see it as one more event delaying the Super Bowl, others as one more justification to splurge. Christmas Eve leads some to despair and others to distraction. Christmas Eve leads the faithful to reverence. I pray it leads the doubting to faith.
What is Christmas Eve? To me, I am challenged to ask myself, “Who have I told about the birth of Christ?” Will my grandchildren think about Hanukkah, Jesus or about gifts? Being honest, I must say that I have not told enough people about Christ’s birth and too many about my grandkids.
What is Christmas Eve? Ask Rod. You may wonder, who is Rod. Rod is the longest-term employee in my company. I am a businessman and I have been in my business since 1975. Rod was there before I bought the business. He came with the deal. We have watched each other grow less young. Conversations about our children were long ago replaced with discussions about our grandchildren.
Rod has been a faithful friend every day that I have been in business and I thank God for Rod. That could be a bumper sticker—“Thank God for Rod!”
Rod could have been a lightning rod. If he was a football player, that would have been a good nickname. The announcer yells, “Carrying the ball across the finish line, Lightning Rod ran long and put the important points on the board!” Like any leader in any business, some loved Rod’s decisions and some did not. Lightning rods have that effect.
Lighting rods stay in one spot, rarely move, and if they do their job well, a good lightning rod catches fire from heaven. But without a lightning rod, everything else burns down. Nothing burned down on his watch and because of his diligence and loyalty, I have always felt safe. Every businessman prays to have a Lightning Rod in their employ. On this Christmas Eve, this employer simply chooses to pray for Rod. May this Christmas Eve and his every eve to come be filled with blessings and great joy.
Rod retires today. Ask Rod about Christmas Eve. It is his last day as a successful, honorable, dependable, businessman. Tomorrow begins his long, happy, healthy future without lightning. And when we reopen after Christmas, my business must learn to go on without Rod. But I am very thankful that Rod and Randy will go on as friends.
By the way, this grandparent does not have a lot of childhood Christmas memories. After all, I am a Jewish guy. But one of my fondest childhood recollections were from a 1950’s Christmas when Uncle Sid dressed up as Santa Claus at Joe & Donna’s home in East Gary, Indiana. I remember when their son took me fishing down at Deep River. It was my first ride on a motor bike. Joe & Donna’s precious little girl later became Rod’s loving wife. Small world?
What is Christmas Eve? You tell me. I’d love to hear from you.
Til next time, have a bloggin’-good day in the Messiah . . . Are you celebrating his birth tomorrow? If so, you know the reason for Christmas Eve!
Shalom,
Randy Weiss
www.crosstalk.org
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