What are you thinking about at this Christmas time? I have been pondering…
What is truth, beauty, goodness and life this Christmas? And to be sure, the rest of the year too?
If anyone knows me at all, they know I truly enjoy a good, wholesome movie, you know the ones that have a difficult, yet worked out conflict; a well-learned moral lesson; and a happy tearful ending. Especially, Christmas movies, like “Miracle on 34th Street”, “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “The Nativity Story”.
There is a line in one of them, “Don’t forget those lovely intangibles, they are the only things worth having!” What are those “lovely intangibles”? I believe they are truth, beauty, goodness, love, joy, peace and hope…to name a few.
I see beauty in the shining stars, and twinkling Christmas lights; in the tiny chickadees that flit from feeder to birdbath; in the raindrops that dangle from the small branches and in every face of my dear loved ones. This is beauty and it fills me with joy.
I see goodness in the giving, thoughtful, generous hearts of those around me…from the Police officers shopping with children for Christmas gifts, to the Pastors who quietly bless families with food and clothing; and loving family who drop off hearty soups and piping hot teas and all the trips to the store for soft tissues for tender noses, all to support loved ones during illness and recovery. This is goodness and it fills me with love.
I see truth, especially at Christmas time, when I contemplate the life of Christ Jesus. He came small, vulnerable, gentle and pure – yet with Him bringing a great hope and peace because He is Immanuel: God with us! He chose ON PURPOSE to come and enter our world; to know and feel how we live, and then to love us unconditionally anyway. He came to give us hope, and joy and peace that this crazy world could never understand and can never take away!
This is where I see and know truth, goodness and beauty in this precious gift that He gave – His life – Immanuel. He is real and I can’t imagine my life without Him! He promises to never leave or forsake us and to give us life forever with Him…what peace this brings…what hope this brings! Do you know these “lovely intangibles” in your life? Have you received the greatest gift, Jesus Christ, to give you hope, love, peace and joy?
I pray for you, to have a blessed Christmas and a wonderful new year and to know Christ Jesus for He loves you so.
All our love, Judy and Mel Rutkoske Christmas 2020
Wonderings, Ponderings and Off the Wall Theories 