Stories From CCCRD To You
Photo courtesy of Freepik
This month, CCCRD did a 12 Days of Christmas Countdown on social media with a story every day from one of our therapists. Some stories were funny or warm memories from holidays past, some were simple explanations of what Christmas means to the storyteller. The following are the final four stories that we collected. We wish you a very Merry Christmas!
Story by Matthew Miller, PsyD -
It's Christmastime again. Or, as my mom used to call it when I was growing up, the season of conspicuous consumption. Everyone is rushing to get the new best toy. People fall all over themselves, and others, to find the latest "graven images" or "idols."
There is nothing wrong with giving gifts at Christmas. I enjoy the process of shopping for gifts for family and friends. The problem comes when we expect gifts to do what they cannot. In Psalm 19, the ways of the Lord are described as: perfect, trustworthy, right, radiant, pure, clean, and true. Think about all the advertisements you’ve seen this season, advertisements trying to sell us those qualities in their products and services. They’re trying to sell us something we already have.
For many, though, the words of Psalm 19 represent a gift unopened or forgotten in the back of the closet of our hearts. This season, I pray that all would have the eyes and hearts to open the true gift of Christmas. God bless.
Story by Amy Karatka, Pre-licensed Clinician -
Growing up, my church used to always put on a Christmas musical. It was a whole production: costumes, makeup, usually some sheep, and the unforgettable donkey named Elmer. Before I was old enough to be in the musical as an extra, I remember being in the nursery and watching as they would walk the donkey past our nursery room. As I grew older, I began to be involved and was able to experience serving the church and our surrounding community. Because I was part of the musical, Christmas felt like it was less about getting gifts and more about spending time with church family as we shared the good news of Jesus coming to bring hope to the world. It has forever shaped the way I view this holiday season, and reminds me of the joy of serving and being together in community.
Story by Kimberly Fritsch, LPC -
Since holidays come and go, how we live the other 364 days when there is no preparation for Christmas matters, especially to God. So the question I ask myself throughout the year actually models from the shepherds in the field awaiting the birth of Christ: “Do I live with an attitude and heart of expectancy?” The shepherds did their daily routines and tended to their livestock every single day, and they were tired. But when God chose to “show up,” when the angel appeared to them to announce that the baby Jesus was being born in a manager, the shepherds did something amazing: they listened and then took action and traveled to Jesus’ birthplace. Expectancy does not have specific prerequisites, God simply wants us to be ready at any time for Him and to respond to the good news with a softened, willing heart. Is your heart ready for God to "show up" in your life this year?
Story by Brynn Gutelius, LPC -
Christmas to me means moments of connection, reflection and thankfulness. This happens for me during Advent and Christmas Eve church services, when I take a deep breath and allow the true meaning of Christmas to fill my spirit. As the designated “Santa” in my family, I can let the busyness of the season sometimes stress me out. All of the decorating, planning, cooking, cleaning, celebrating, gifting...it is something I really enjoy, but it can be hard to manage with other home and work responsibilities.
But when I sit in church and sing a hymn like O Holy Night (my favorite!), I can't help but cry as I feel so close to my Savior—who came as a baby to rescue me—and to my family who loves me so fully. I look to my sides and see my husband, our parents, and our girls, and I am filled with gratitude for another year together and for God's protection and blessings. I can picture us standing there over the years, singing the same hymns, the glow of the candles in our hands. My girls growing from toddlers, using fake battery-operated candles that they moved around like cheerleaders with pom-poms, to young women, holding their candles carefully, wax dripping onto the cone as they sing, their voices strong and beautiful. As I stand there, I am just so thankful.
The Christmas season is an ending to the year and leads to a new beginning for the next. And isn't that like how Jesus came: an end to our despairing separation from God and a beginning to our life with Him for eternity? It makes for a Merry Christmas indeed.