Trust me… I understand.

It’s always been hard to understand why what should be the most loved-filled, wonderful occasion of the year is one of the hardest times for many people—Christmas.

I’ve had both. One very painful Christmas for me was when one of my dearest friends canceled my invitation for Christmas dinner with her family after I had helped her cook all the previous day. Her husband, who was a real stinker came in and said he didn’t want any people but the family for the day. Instantly, I wasn’t family.

I hadn’t made any preparations for feeding my son and myself, so the day was extremely hard to explain to my six-year-old. I remember sitting in the dark later that night with my heart almost refusing to beat. I never saw it coming. What was so hard to understand was that this man was usually never around for his own family. He’d come and go without a moment’s notice, yet he had the power to change Christmas for not just me but others as well. It took me years to get over that hurt. Every year after it was like reliving the hurt all over again.

Another time, as a child, my father usually ruined Christmas all the time. There wasn’t a whole lot of Christmas Cheer anyway, but my dear mother always managed to make Christmas as good as she could for my sister and me. Usually, my father would come home in a bad mood and dampen the whole evening. Nothing was ever good enough with him. No matter what my mother or us girls did it never received any praise and thanks. There was always something we didn’t do right.

This particular Christmas Eve, Mom hadn’t fixed what he thought she should have to eat so he left and went to a bar. It always amazed me what Mom could get out of a $50-a-week grocery budget for four people. But, of course, it was her fault, not his.

He'd also ruin the gift-giving. We got one major gift, a stocking that Mom filled with little things for us, and maybe one other gift. One year, we got an umbrella. My sister and I were both shocked Christmas morning when that wasn’t the gift we had anticipated.

Other years, like this year, I’m separated from my son. All the years he was in the military was sort of expected but this year it’s because of my latest move to Florida. So, yes, I understand.

But if I dwell on the outward circumstances my heart will break with loneliness. So, I purposely look inward to my Comforter. There is no way that the human heart can go through times that hurt so badly without God. Yet so many people try to do it year after year.

All the Christmas ads on TV don’t help either. Seeing families gathering around tables, laughing, and being together can send the average person over the edge.

So that is why I hope with all my heart that my small posting can reassure anyone who happens to stumble across this blog to ask the Greatest Person to come be with them—Jesus.

He NEVER forsakes or leaves us. He never will cancel an invitation to Dine with Him. He gives the best Gifts of Eternal Life, and the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.

It takes Faith to Pray, Wait upon, and Trust in someone that you can’t see physically. I understand that too. But there’s an inner knowing that the Holy Spirit lives within each one of us who has accepted the Gift of Salvation.

I wish I could look anyone who reads this in the eyes and assure them that there is nothing or no one in this world who can ever make such a promise to love and abide with us throughout our lives as God does.

I have to go to Him and ask Him to quiet my heart and mind again this Christmas. I know He will—He’s done it so many times before.

All I can add is that I bless you and hope that you will find yourself running to God this Christmas and fall into His arms.

I do sincerely bless you.

Merry Christmas!