7 Days to Christmas, Thursday, Dec 18, 2025

“One Week: Something Will Happen”

We are officially one week away from the peak of the holiday season. Thankfully, I do not have a huge meal to cook this year. Like many of you, I was in charge of the holiday meal for many, many years. In some ways I loved it. In other ways, I could not stand it. I miss it now, for sure. But honestly, when I think about it too much, my back starts to hurt just remembering the long hours on my feet. So I try not to think about it for very long.

Do you have a cherished memory that is also a little painful? It is strange how the same experience can stir up both joy and discomfort at the same time.

Some people experience the entire holiday season that way. As a result, we label them with names like Mr. Scrooge, the Grinch, or even Scott Farkus. But here is the truth: Every one of us has a little bit of those characters inside us. We cannot all be Buddy the Elf all the time! 

It takes effort to smile constantly, stay cheerful, and treat everyone with love and patience.  Yet that is often the image we have of the holidays. Everything is supposed to be joyful and bright. The reality is that a little bit of Grinch is going to sneak in from time to time and try to steal the presents.

How do we deal with that? One option is to pretend the mess does not exist, like refusing to say the name Voldemort out loud. But a better approach is probably to acknowledge it when we sense it creeping in. Sometimes simply recognizing that we have taken a wrong turn is enough to help us reset. It is unlikely that this final week before Christmas will be perfect or painless.

And that is okay. Sometimes the skunk living in the wall becomes part of a story we laugh about later. After all, if the Grinch and Mr. Scrooge can have a change of heart and find their way back, there is no reason we or our loved ones cannot do the same.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”  (Philippians 4:4, NIV)