Season is best and worst
By NANCY LAMBING
Hillsboro United Methodist Church
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," writes Charles Dickens as he refers to the French Revolution in "A Tale of Two Cities." The holiday season reflects the same sentiment.
For some, the holidays are a time of great excitement as one anticipates receiving gifts, attending parties, seeing family, decorating, and baking. Of course, one also looks forward to eating! The fulfillment of these hopes is what determines a person's "best of times."
Others experience the holidays as the "worst of times." When the checkbook is on zero, when health is poor, when death has made a visit, when relationships are strained, the holidays are dreadful.
There's another way of looking at the "best of times" and "the worst of times." The season becomes the best when we are givers — giving of our time and resources. When we all share what we have, there is enough for everyone.
"The worst of times" are when we let the holiday grumps and grumbles take over us. When we allow ourselves to be controlled by expectations, it's easy to become a "Scrooge" about the season.
This is a wonderful season. It's not about family and food, it's about God who gave God's best in Christ Jesus. That's worth celebrating!
