It was a special extra Christmas eve night and church message, a LOVELY real message of Christmas, of God’s Love in Jesus, a Son Given, that I and others absorbed from being at Christmas Eve services. There was also a funny site as we saw the teenage drummer decked out in fine Santa attire with Grinch pants and yes a Grinch mask too… (it’s a great “come as you are church – pajamas even allowed! Love it!)… don’t worry the Grinch mask did come off, must have been too hot… lots of enthusiastic great music!

Our Pastor spoke about the LOVE of God wrapped around us like cloth, like a surfers wet suit for protection and warmth, like the warm sheets at night, like a blanket which she received made by the Sunday school kids… And here I was dressed not so warmly but more “fancy” in a colorful christmas skirt with stockings on a bitter COLD night. I could have used a few more layers riding up and down our external elevator lift to unlock and lock it,  brrrrr. I wished then I was wearing those Grinch fuzzy pants!

Well, I WAS (for years) a Grinch at Christmas, not because I stole anything but because I DIDN’T UNDERSTAND what Christmas really TRULY meant. Everyday a blinded Grinch not FULLY understanding past the glitz of the world to see humble Jesus. I WAS clueless that Jesus was INSIDE of me. INSIDE!!! Yes, I could see others expressing the love of Jesus, but I did not interpret the growth came from inside of them.  I knew the stories of Jesus, but never watered those seeds, frozen in place. Then one Christmas season, few years back, over the course of weeks, God started filling in the data that my brain lacked – warmed my soil – made me like that expression on the Grinch’s face when he hears Whoville singing in the REAL spirit of Christmas,  even though they had no “material” possessions of Christmas… BELIEF and understanding grew and my heart started to EXPAND with Jesus being born IN ME, OHHHHH….. Jesus as our (my!) Lord and Savior INSIDE US and like the Grinch: “GREW THREE SIZES THAT DAY”… 

Christmas comes to us, we can open It, and we then can become “THE GRINCH WHO EXPLAINS CHRISTMAS”. That’s why God EQUIPS the CALLED, to demonstrate, to teach, to REACH!!!

Within my cute “little church with a BIG impact” the people ask for and tap into the HOLY SPIRIT. The Christmas present celebrated by each at Christmas is that Jesus, God incarnate, was big enough to humble Himself enough to come to Earth as a baby. God with us. Jesus came to connect and grow LOVE’S flow.

The cutest of sights and sounds that I felt “in the Spirit” this Christmas eve night was from the energy of those authentic Sunday School kids and I remembered our littlest Sunday schooler helping by handing out the candles for us to light during singing Silent Night. I handed the candles to her and she shared. She gave one to an elderly woman who was having trouble walking but was supported by her daughter. The littlest one shared with the oldest one there, and I saw both their Spirits smiling BIG at that moment, a transfer Gift of Light from the Holy Spirit into the Christmas scene, yes, Spirit to share.

So, now I pray us each who werea former “Grinch” who didn’t fully understand Christmas, to be one who loves to EXPLAIN Christmas, to look for OPPORTUNITIES… Opportunities abound (Like at work opportunities last week while wearing my Santa suit),let us take a few minutes to EXPLAIN the HOPE gift in Jesus to someone – SHINE and SHARE the LIGHT.  

God, with these gifts of His Spirit, at somepoint WILL (Lord-willing) make it Christmas morning for those folks to open and KNOW and BELIEVE in the GIFT of JESUS. 

Keep shining sharing and EXPLAINING the LIGHT!

Merry Christmas to all !!!

God Bless you and warm you and keep you!