Look Up!
Finding reasons to celebrate despite death, disease, and divorce
For some reason, I have pot pie on the brain.
It might be because it’s about 8 billion below here in Minnesota today and something made of gravy and crust sounds really good. It might be that at least two of my Facebook friends have felt it necessary to mention their pot pie consumption in the last few days. It might be that I just came home from the grocery store—an experience that always makes me hungry for a magically delicious meal that never seems to materialize from what I pull out of the bags.
But I think the real reason I have pot pie on my mind is that it’s one of those ultimate comfort foods. And this time of year, I could use some comfort.
Christmas is a week away and I haven’t done a thing to get ready. Part of my logic is that we’re going to visiting family for the week, so why bother dressing up the house for the cat to enjoy? But I’ve also found that my Christmas spirit is kind of shot this year. It has been a rough year for so many people I love—death, disease, and divorce seem to keep showing up in our e-mail inbox—and I find my heart is far too heavy to get excited about shopping and baking and decorating.
I just want someone to come over and make me a pot pie so I can warm up—emotionally, spiritually, and physically.
Even if I wasn’t feeling the weight of the pain in my friend’s lives, I think I’d still be having a hard time getting into Christmas. It always sneaks up on me and I find myself having to decide just how big a deal I can make about the whole affair and still ring in the New Year with a little sanity left. And the older I get, the less up I am for the challenge.
It’s so easy to let Christmas become old hat—a series of errands and parties and meals and requirements that have long-since lost their luster. For those who have suffered during the year—and who hasn’t in some way?—Christmas can feel like a cruel joke in which everyone around you celebrates while you grieve. It’s no wonder we are so quickly crushed by the social and emotional pressures of the holidays.
The German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer once preached an Advent sermon in which he referenced a crisis going on in his home country at the time. A group of miners had been trapped below ground and the whole country was holding its collective breath waiting for them to be rescued. Bonhoeffer spoke of the season of Advent as a time of waiting, like these miners, for rescue.
He said, “Look up you whose eyes are fixed on this earth, you who are captivated by the events and changes on the surface of this earth. Look up, you who turned away from heaven to this ground because you had become disillusioned. Look up, you whose eyes are laden with tears, you who mourn the loss of all that the earth has snatched away. Look up, you who cannot lift your eyes because you are so laden with guilt. Look up, your redemption is drawing near. Something different than you usually see daily, something more important, something infinitely grater and more powerful is taking place.”
I first read this sermon a few years ago and clearly I ought to hang it from my Christmas tree. It is a beautiful reminder that this season is one in which we celebrate our rescue—from death, from disease, from divorce, and even from the demands of the season. Our Redeemer arrived and pulled us out of the darkness in which we were trapped. Whether my eyes are laden with tears or just fixed on this earth, the reminder to look up is something that never gets old. It is the ultimate comfort.
Posted at 5:16 PM on December 16, 2008.
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Carla,
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. I am sure many people feel the same way you do, including myself. Thank you for reminding us that God is our rescuer and comforter. (And pot pie doesn't sound bad right now.)
Posted by: Monique on December 17, 2008
Ironically, I was just having a moment and felt compelled to come to this website for encouragement. I happened to be praying and asking God why my heart felt down when I discovered this article. What an awesome reminder that God answers prayers and that we have a Hope stronger than anything this earth could ever provide. Merry Christmas!!
Posted by: Kristi on December 17, 2008
Dear Carla,
Thank you so much for sharing this. Your posting on the 16th was perfect timing for me. That date is my what I now sadly call my universary.
Many years ago my ex-husband of almost 3 years and I anticipated the day with hearts full of such hope and love. It is more painful than I can say now to have all the decorations and festivities of the season as a reminder that my hopes for a Christ-centered marriage died with his love for me. I hurt so much that I wonder if strangers can see the raw grief on my face as I smile and return their wishes for a Merry Christmas.
My ex-husband is getting married in June and he and his fiance have our children through Christmas Eve. I am so lonely that it frightens me. To make matters worse, after an 11 month custody battle, where I was granted custody, now the chidren's father is trying to take them from me again. He had totally turned his back on the Lord and is living a sinful lifestyle, and so I have concerns about him having more time with the children.
But then the Lord directed me to this posting (on the 17th) and I wished I had read it that day. Ever since doing so, I have tried to look not around me at all that I have lost or at the turmoil swirling around me, but at the fact that my redeemer has come and one day He will will make sense of it all. I am able to look past my brokenheartedness, look up and celebrate the fact that Christ is come! Thank you for reminding me that I still have reasons to rejoice.
If you read this, please pray for me and especially for my children during this renewed parenting investigation process.
Blessings!
Posted by: Tammi on December 18, 2008
Thank you so much for posting this! It has now been five weeks since my husband was let go from his job sue to "cutbacks" and "down-sizing". He was let go a week before Thanksgiving and try as hard as we might, neither of us have found a job in the economy, especially at this time of year. So we were prime for a pity party and woe-is-me mentality, what with no money for gifts or any extras to contribute to parties that we are invited to (bring a dish, bring a dessert, bring a gift to exchange).
Your article put all our needless fears and unnecessary doubts into perspective. Though we have both been attending daily worship service at our Church, we felt like we were going through the motions because we were becoming discouraged and disheartened with no phone calls, no emails, no interviews, no one even remotely showing interest in our resumes. We were looking down at the ground, shuffling our feet beating ourselves up mentally.
Thank you! Thank you for this article, thank you for the quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, our pastor actually quotes him often too! It's so close to Christmas, we need to get out of our funk, think of the REAL and ONLY reason for Christmas celebration and observances. We need to give thanks in everything, even in our job search (We still have our health! Thanks be to God!). And I am thankful that I read your posting befoer it was too late, before Christmas passed and we were not a joyous, celebratory part in it! Amen!
Posted by: Sandra on December 19, 2008
Thank you for reminding me to look up. I am not much in the Christmas spirit at the moment after being told I need to come back in after having had a mammogram. I went looking for comfort and found your blog. Isn't our God amazing!
Posted by: Elisa on December 19, 2008
We are also a grieving family, having had our 6 1/2 month old son go to Glory mid-October.. We're doing Christmas the best we can for our big kids and trying to focus on what really DOES matter.. Looking Up! Thank you for the reminder.
Posted by: Kathryn on December 19, 2008
Dear Carla,
What an inspiring article and thoughts you have brought to us. In spite of being a man, I sometimes scan through this Woman site. What a blessing it was to come to your blog. May the Lord Bless you and continue using you to His Glory and our blessing. Merry Christmas !
Posted by: Joaquim on December 19, 2008
Dear Carla
Thank you for the article, ive gone through a rough year but it just reminds me of the importance of christmas despite all that has happened, i am going to LOOK UP. Have a blessed Christmas.
Posted by: vee on December 20, 2008
Its so easy to look down and look around @ the things happening. All we see down is - pain, anguish, sorrrow, grief, disappointment, broken promises............
hence the only place of comfort hope $ joy is Looking up!
Posted by: Yinka on December 22, 2008
Dear Carla,
Thank you for letting God use you. I have been going along with my head held down. You have reminded me what this season is really about! God bless you.
Posted by: Mary on December 22, 2008
Carla,
Thank you so much for your inspiring words. I lost my dear daddy this year to suicide and it has been so difficult to look forward to this first Christmas without him. "Looking Up" is exactly what I did to get through those first months, thanks for reminding me of my only true Comforter, Jesus Christ. I will stop looking down into my despair and will only look up to the Lord asking for comfort and guidance for my family and I, thanking Jesus for His precious Love and the many Blessings my family has received.
Posted by: Mary Ann on December 23, 2008
Hello, Carla- thank you so much for this post. I have had a very hard year in that my Dad passed away in April of 2008, and my Mom just recently on November 3, 2008. I am doing Christmas the best way I know how, through missing them and envying them, as I'm sure Heaven has a party too each year!!!! Thanks for the reminder to look up! Very encouraging.
Suzanne
Posted by: Suzanne on December 23, 2008
Thanks for posting this article. My husband & I have been seperated for the last two months and I have been down, trying to rely upon God it's hard but this article just tells me what I need. Keep looking up to the one whose saved me. Nothing is too hard for God. He's bigger than my problems.
Thanks
Posted by: Elizabeth on December 23, 2008
Beautifully said.
On this day after Christmas, I am so thankful that we didn't overdo the holiday in it all, but we focused on family and faith this year.
It has been a hard year on many, my family has not gone untouched by the changes in this economy and I am grateful for the many blessings of life and love that our family shares.
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
Sue
Posted by: Praise and Coffee on December 26, 2008
Thanks for the article,I am sitting here in my house trying to be thankful for all that I have
This Christmas has been a different one I had a hard time getting into the spirit and really never did and I really don't know why, things are going okey it just has been a weird time
Anyway it was a wonderful article and I need to be reminded to look and never doubt the lord
Thank you
Posted by: Lynn on December 27, 2008
Thanks for sharing this ... it really hits home.
Posted by: emc on December 28, 2008
I am so thankful to God for he made our Christmas a wonderful one together with our relatives that celebrated Christmas in our house...To HIM be the glory!
Posted by: Seo Test on January 7, 2009
Excuse me. Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't.
I am from Dominican and now study English, give true I wrote the following sentence: "Try out different niches and compare affiliate programs to find the perfect one for you."
Thank you so much for your future answers :D. Voleta.
Posted by: Voleta on February 22, 2009