The Most Wonderful Time of the Year...Can you see the forest for the trees?

Thanksgiving is HERE, and Christmas is around the corner. There is something so special about this time of the year. I think it brings out the best in all of us! Our minds are going to the things that we are truly thankful for…God, family, and friends. It is a time when we communicate with those near and dear in gift giving, baking, and decorating. This time of the year is a time of inward reflection on our thoughts, actions and attitudes of the past year, and how we want to improve in the coming year.

There is a house in my city that I drive by often. I do not know the people that live there, but I do know that they, like me, love the holidays. Their yard is creatively decorated every single holiday on the calendar. Red hearts are strung in the trees on Valentines Day, a happy bunny pops out of an egg on Easter, and practically every square inch of the house and yard is decorated for Christmas. I am astonished by the time and expense that goes into their holiday creations.

However, the yard is also bursting at the seams with non-holiday “ornaments.” Several old cars are parked in the yard. Used tires lay everywhere, as well as unusable appliances, old mattresses, and even a broken down toilet. Bags and bags of trash are strewn about the yard. It is not a pretty sight. The puzzling thing to me is why they put so much expense into their holiday décor while leaving all of the junk in the yard. In my opinion, it certainly does not make the rubbish look pretty.

I wonder if the Lord sees something similar when he looks at our lives. Have we decorated our outward appearance with sanctimonious standards while our hearts are littered with anger, jealousy, and deceit? Do we plaster on a smile of joy when inside we are blackened with bitterness? I do not feel the Lord finds beauty in our sacrifices of worship and praise when we are hiding back biting and dissention.

Before the most wonderful time of the year approaches, before I take out all of my holiday decorating, before I begin purchasing the perfect gifts for my loved ones, I want to take some time to clear the clutter from my heart. When he looks at me, I want Him to see the beauty of my soul that he longs to spend time with, and not any of the debris that I might have accumulated in the past months. May I string the lights, hang the wreath, and bake the cookies with a pure heart, so that the brightest light of all might shine through me during this Thanksgiving and Christmas season.