First Baptist Church of Herndon

Somewhere in between

Linda Soller | Dec 28, 2015

Christmas Day has come and gone and the new year is about to begin. The days of December 26 through December 31 seem to just hang out there somewhere in between the two holidays. They may hold some special significance if you love to shop for a bargain or if you party on the eve of the new year’s arrival. But for most of us we have returned to work, returned some gifts, and lounged around with what feels like nothing to do. We can no longer complain of being too busy, or use it as an excuse not to participate. The pace radically slows, and some of us hide away. I don’t know about you, but I find I think of Christmas as the end of the year, and New Year’s Day as the beginning, and well, just don’t think much about the time that falls somewhere in between.

If you asked Sue if she believed in God, if she celebrated Christmas as the birth of Jesus, she would say yes. She would say it and give you a little smile. You would believe her, but you wouldn’t be impressed with her conviction. If you ran into Harry on the street you wouldn’t think him rude, or aggressive, but you wouldn’t really call him friendly or caring. You certainly wouldn’t think, he’s a Christian, as he walked away. Betty is a giver, but her giving is the attention grabbing kind, which she is quick to talk about. If you ask her how she feels, she will complain and tell you of her latest woe, and you will feel compelled to listen. Betty likes, no Betty needs, attention. Her giving is really a means to her receiving.

So often we go through life paying attention to one milestone after another, without thinking of the days falling somewhere in between. We accomplish in our lives only a small portion of our potential. It is almost like living in a fog. We see point A where we start, and we know we are heading to point B, but the path between the two becomes just a path full of missed opportunities. Many Christians walk this earth feeling and acting disconnected, when we are told to give, to love, to share, or in modern terms to be connected to others. We say we believe, but our actions say otherwise.

My wish for you dear reader is a year filled with hope, smiles, strength, joy, and comfort for your tears. I pray you will look at your point A, consider your point B, and then fill all the days somewhere in between with faith, love, peace, and God.

Happy New Year!  :o)  Linda