A lot of frantic work goes into celebrating this day. We have created lists and fought crowds at malls and shopping centers. We have worried if we forgot someone. Gifts have now been exchanged. We gave and we received. Santa has now come and gone and we are left with a lot of trash bags filled to the brim and wondering what day the garbage collectors are coming this week.
The truth is in a few months we will be hard pressed to remember any of the gifts we gave or received this year. Many of the battery operated toys we gave our kids or grandkids won’t even be working in a few months.
But there are some things we will remember.
When I was growing up we celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve at Mama’s house. She did that so the married children could be home with their own families on Christmas day.
Every year we all gathered at the Reynolds United Methodist Church to take communion early in the evening on Christmas Eve. If one of us really wanted to upset Mama on Christmas Eve all we had to do was to not show up for communion. In other words we all showed up. Always.
The church would be open for a couple or three hours. The preacher would be there for the entire time serving the sacrament. Families would go in together. When our family entered the building, we would greet another family who was leaving and then wait in silence on another family being served. Each family would speak to other families in whispers and there would be a lot of hugs with life long friends we lived and worked with every day. A heartfelt “Merry Christmas” was always whispered in the ears of those you hugged.
On every Christmas Eve, I always think about those family communion services at the Reynolds United Methodist Church. I remember the way Mama made sure we began our Christmas celebration. We were on our knees at the altar of her beloved church taking the Lord’s Supper as a family.
Then we would all go to her house and eat the best food in the world and enjoy each other. I can tell you there was a lot of conversation and a lot of laughter in that house on Christmas Eve.
Tomorrow her children and grandchildren (and several great grandchildren) will gather at our house to celebrate Christmas and to celebrate the legacy our parents left us. Our parents are no longer with us but they continue to be very much alive in each of us.
There will be a lot of conversation and a lot of laughter and a lot of fellowship among people who genuinely love each other. And we will remember all the times we have spent together during this special time of year.
And we will celebrate our faith which was instilled in all of us by our amazing parents many years ago.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6).
May Ed and Naia Goddard rest in peace on this Christmas day. And may they know their kids have not forgotten them or the true meaning of Christmas.
Some things you just never forget.
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