T E X A R K A N A M A G A Z I N E
A SARINE THOUGHT… OR TWO COLUMN BY EMI LY SARINE
Light It Up!
T here is something universally heart-warming about Christmas, no matter who you are. When December comes around, our everyday lives just become that extra bit sweeter because of the spirit in the air. The stores are decorated to the hilt with trees, Santa, snowmen, reindeer, ribbons, tinsel and bows—oh my! The Muzak stations in elevators and restaurants are set to Christmas carols and hymns. And, as Rudolph is run-run-running to get Santa to town, the weather begs for hot beverages to be drunk and sweaters to be worn. Christmas well-wishes are generously dispensed from a fount of friendly encounters. In short, it is THE BEST time of year! But there is one part about the Christmas season that really shines brighter than all the rest for me; it is the lights. Oh, the lights! The way those little, tiny bulbs can transform a plastic pine in my otherwise tree-barren living room into a Sequoia of beauty that captures my attention each time I enter is mesmerizing. I can literally sit and look at the tree for hours. A cup of coffee, a cozy blanket, some fuzzy socks, a quiet house and the tree lights equals heaven on earth for this ol’ gal. I even tend to get depressed once the tree comes down around January first. Its absence is so stark. It feels as if my living room has joined a domiciliary nudist colony. It’s not just the lights on the tree that capture me, either. When the outdoor Christmas lights come on, I feel like I’m getting a little holiday grin from every decorated house and storefront. Neighborhoods come alive with an air of welcoming friendliness. The blow- ups are fun. The wooden decorations are precious. But the lights… that’s what brings each place to life! Those sparkly lights seem to send a subtle invitation to slow down and gaze at a home knowing that the people inside are celebrating something truly special and are offering a gesture of goodwill for me to enjoy. But the lights that really put me in my feels, are the ones that shine from within human hearts this time of year. Christmas is the time we tend to make giving
to others a priority. I’m not just talking about the gifts under the tree. Personally, I feel the urge to let those closest to me know they are loved, seen, heard and that their presence in my life is deeply appreciated. I want strangers I meet to know I wish them well and hope they have huge blessings coming their way. I want waitstaff at the restaurants I frequent to know how thankful I am for their kindness and willingness to serve so well. I want the checkout person who is helping me with my purchases to know theirs is such a vital part of what makes it possible to cook the special meal and wrap the special gift. This little light of mine just wants to shine kindness to everybody, and I’m gonna let it! The Light that outshines them all, however, is what Christmas is really about—celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. That God would send His only Son to earth in human form to die for my sins so I can live with Him forever?!! Man, talk about some serious wattage coming from THAT Light! Jesus is the reason I put the strands of lights on my tree (ok, so I bought the tree with the lights already strung, but let’s just go with the word picture I am painting). He’s the reason I ask my husband to climb a ten-foot ladder to hang lights on our home. Jesus is the reason I can be thankful to others for all they do. He’s the reason I can have joy in the small moment of seeing someone’s yard decorations or in the biggest moments of celebration with friends and family. And the best thing about it all is that His presence doesn’t disappear from my life once all the presents are unwrapped. He is always with me. He never leaves me. He is always for me. And He wants nothing but the best for me. So, even though I will have to take down my Christmas tree and my outdoor lights at the end of December, I’m deciding to make like Motel 6 and “leave the Light on for ya” in my heart all year long! Because, honestly, the Light of the World is shining all the time, not just at Christmas. So, Merry Christmas, friends! Let’s shine bright!
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