December woah!

Oh my word here we are in the last month of 2025 where I am thinking how did we get here so fast! I don’t know about you but the months go by so quickly and in the blink of an eye and this is definitely apparent as you become older! On a side note here, the saying “older and wiser” comes to mind – moving on swiftly here lol. Anyways, the whole purpose of this blog post is to touch on as I have done last year is that the month of December is a joyous month. A time of joy where as a Believer in Jesus Christ, we know this month is all about Jesus. Where if it wasn’t for Jesus The Son Of Man being born, we would not have a Saviour. This is to me who this month is focused on and in fact 365 days of the year is all about Jesus!

Changing tactic for a moment is the fact that for so many this month brings fear; brings dread along with loneliness and alas for so many this is extremely difficult and I will go as far to say as the loneliest time of the year.

On the “flip side of the coin” so many folk look forward to getting together with loved ones and/or with friends. Alas, so many get caught up in “the trappings” if you will of the materialistic side that this month brings. You know all the anticipation of decorating the home; buying gifts for family & friends and even for the most part the anticipation of “what one will get on Christmas Day” especially young children. Also, comes many office parties along with so much other stuff that at the end of the day is not important.

Ok, before one as a “hissy fit” about the paragraph above, I am not saying that any of the above is wrong however, there is the danger of getting caught up in all “the festive trappings” for want of a better expression. We live in an era where the real focus of Christmas has literally gone out the window. We live in times where Christmas has been shortened to that awful word xmas where literally the first part of Christmas has literally been removed near enough everywhere and sadly this is 100% fact.

Going back to the loneliness issue and this is where I am going to share a short story (no idea if I have shared this last year at the same time but anyways, I will share it again. In the early 1990’s I was working as a PA for small firm where the lady who was in charge of myself and one other young girl shared that she spent Christmas on her own and she would enjoy reading. This other girl and I looked at each other in sadness along with disbelief. I also recall thinking that may I never get to the stage whereby I would be spending this season on my own and the thought actually horrified me and horrified me indeed. Moving swiftly on a few decades later (well not that many decades later actually but anyways) I am now in that same position and have been for the last few years since my divorce. Yes this did used to bother me even though I would meet up with friends for some of the time during the “festive season” but now things have changed.

I am in that season where for me personally, I love this time of being on my own except I am not totally on my own. Please allow me to explain and for many of you dear reader, you will understand not only where I am going with this statement but will totally get it too. So, what do I mean by the above statement exactly?

When I state that I am not totally on my own, I mean that I spend Christmas with my Father meaning my Heavenly Father. Ok, I can perhaps hear you exclaim “you can do that every day of the year” – yep, totally true and I do, however, for this season, I just love to be able to be still and to be quiet. I love to spend that time focusing my attention where it’s just Him and me. I love this time of year and in fact relish it. I have also turned down invitations to be with others because I love this time and perhaps a little bit selfishly as well, I can get to have what I like for the “Christmas lunch and to eat when I like; to go for a walk if I want and do this or that or tother – you get where I have gone with these wordings I am sure!

You could go and volunteer somewhere?

Yes I could but I can’t meaning that wherever I have lived one needs transportation. I don’t drive and there is no public transport over the Christmas period. Taxis are double time and walking anywhere even for fairly short distances is quite difficult. No, this is not quite as straightforward as one may believe. Have I helped others in the past – yes and have enjoyed doing so but now this is not quite that simple anymore. Anyways, this post was not meant to be about “me” at all so moving away from this topic!

With all the loneliness out there and by the way Believers in Jesus are not exempt from being in the same boat by any means and there are many friends and others that I know who seriously struggle at this time of year. I also get it however, there are things one can do to change all this but these ideas we will touch upon together in another blog post. One of the suggestions I have though is to reach out to others who are on their own and especially where you can perhaps see that they are struggling. Even if you deem as if people on their own appear to be ok – reach out anyways and ask if they would perhaps like to chat or go for a coffee or walk and so on and so forth. Also please if you are struggling Don’t suffer in silence!

On a final note:

On Thanksgiving when our church got together in the evening for a meal of thanks each of us were given our very own beautifully made advent calendar by one of the sisters in our church gathering. I am going to end these blog posts throughout the month of December with the verse or Christmas carol for that particular day. Below is today’s verse which is beautiful & the sign of The Promise Keeper – The Holy One Of Israel to be born!

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