TRADITIONS
It started at the Old Town Temecula Community Theatre. One Christmas season we got tickets to see “ A Christmas Carol “. It became our favorite Christmas tradition. We would drink hot cocoa, eat a decorated Christmas cookie, and, eventually we would make new friends with those who also went every year. Most of the actors were the same so it was as if they were “ our family “. Traditions, specially at Christmas time, can bring a sense of comfort, joy, and, peace…a familiarity that is always the same, and will always have the same outcome. When we moved to AZ. in 118 degree weather, we only knew a few people, had just started new jobs, temporary housing, and started going to a new church. As Dorothy, from the wizard of Oz, said “ we aren’t in Kansas ( or in our case California ) anymore. Do you have any holiday traditions? Is it an event you always go to, a special meal you always eat, a trip you always go on to see friends and family? Traditions are wonderful until there is a change. The kids grow up and go to their in-laws. The food you once ate now gives you heartburn. And this year your’e just too tired to put up the Christmas lights. The disciples also had traditions. Every Sabbath they would eat together, with Jesus, laughing, praying, planning their next destination…their forever kingdom with Jesus as king. And then everything changed. Jesus died. The laughter was gone, their plans for a better future was gone. They went back to fishing. When traditions change it can be unsettling. But, here’s the GOOD news. Change can bring JOY, PEACE, and LAUGHTER…even if it’s different. The disciples found that out three days later when Jesus rose from the dead…and they never looked back. In August, that first summer in Az. I saw a Facebook ad for the play “ A Christmas Carol “. With the little money we had saved up, I bought three tickets. Eight years later, as we sat in a new theatre, new seats, with new actors, we smiled. We learned to embrace change of traditions because, just like the disciples, it was in the change that brought an even greater JOY, PEACE, and COMFORT….it brought Jesus as our everlasting King of Kings. If you don’t know Jesus this Christmas season, I pray you will make HIM your new tradition…your new King. And with that, as Tiny Tim says at the end of the play “ A Merry Christmas to everyone “.