I thought the following story would be an excellent way to end the Thanksgiving weekend and usher in the first Sunday of Advent. I’ve much to be thankful for, but being picked from God’s pumpkin patch is definitely at the top of my list. The tale begins…
A lady had recently been baptized. One of her co-workers asked her what it was like to be a Christian. She was caught off guard and didn’t know how to answer, but when she looked up, she saw a jack-o-lantern on the desk and answered: “It’s like being a pumpkin.”
The worker asked her to explain. “Well, God picks you from the patch and brings you in and washes off all the dirt on the outside. Then He cuts off the top and takes all the yucky stuff out from inside. He removes all those seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all to see. It is our choice to either stay outside and rot on the vine or come inside and be something new and bright!”
May we all choose to let His light shine brightly for all to see, bringing the true meaning of Christmas into what's become a 'frantic' season. The best way to stoke that light is to choose to make time for God – especially amidst the Christmas craziness with so many distractions pulling us in different directions. We need to choose to rest in His presence (and presents), allowing Him to refill and reenergize us with His peace and goodwill so that we, in turn, can do the same for others.
Choose wisely!