On the 89th day of Christmas My True Love Gave...

Our crazy family Christmas post melee 

Phew! Christmas is over...or is it???

Present are opened, messes cleaned up, toys put together and gift cards spent.

For me, as a pastor, the whirlwind of the holiday parties, presentations and special services are, indeed, over. As of December 26th it is exactly 53 days until Lent begins with Ash Wednesday. Soother than a trip to Guatemala and a lot of planning along with end of the year reports I get to breathe.

For children, they are counting to the days util next year. For those that can't count it is 363 days until next Christmas.

But truthfully the Christmas Season has just begun. Actually today is the "third day of Christmas." You know of "three french hens" action. (Correct, it isn't the 12 days leading up to Christmas.) The song, a old English folk song, sings of the Day of Christmas and carries on through Epiphany which is January 6th.

But really, should Christmas ever be over? Christmas is when God sent grace to this world. It was a moment of a kept promise of Holy love for His people. Is there really an end to God's saving grace in humanity. I certainly hope not, ever. God acts upon grace every moment of our life and asks us to do the same. God acted we should too. God, our True Love (or should be) gave and gives and will give!

So why does the Christmas season seem to end? We allow it to. We pack it away with our bright shiny star from the top of the tree. Oh we talk a good game. I love on social media this time of year. All the "be nice, be kind, help others" cutesy posts.

But I can't help but wonder when people post sorrow filled pictures of homeless people with catch phrases like "hope for the hopeless," how many people who posted that picture actually have fed the hungry or reached out to the oppressed in an actionable way. I mean welcomed them into their homes. Bought them food or stood next to them and carried on a conversation, carried food for them to their car or home, maybe even sat and ate with them at a shelter.

Speaking hope is great. Talking about love is awesome. Even writing a check to an organization that brings hope or love is not bad. But if we really want Christmas to cover this broken world it is up to us to show the same grace God showed us with the birth of Christ. Show...do...action word.

Go be Christmas.