I’m Still Under the Influence

Yesterday my grandson came over to help me get all my Christmas tubs back down so I can start reorganizing and filling them back up with all my Christmas treasures. But, this morning I’m still under the influence of Christmas and want it to last a little longer. Of course, my family tradition is to keep all the Christmas décor up until after Epiphany (January 6th) when the Magi came to the home of the Holy Family in Jerusalem so I’ll not use those tubs just yet.

I scanned the news headlines and was appalled by the rancor going on about our beautiful first lady. This time it was negativity about the shoes she wore while visiting the troops in Iraq! Lord, have mercy! I quickly shut down those stories because I felt a knot in my tummy! I was suddenly under the influence of the negativity of the world instead of under the influence of the love and light of Christmas.

In June 2017, I was blessed to go on a trip to the Holy Lands. It was a trip of a lifetime and during this wonderful time of the year the memories of so many holy places are stirred up within me. On the bus, as we made our way to Bethlehem, we sang "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem". The "littleness" was made real to us as Bethlehem really is a very small town. We celebrated "Christmas" in the Church of the Nativity. How meaningful it was to sing "Oh Come All Ye Faithful", receive Holy Communion and worship the King in the actual cave of Christ's birth.

Just think of it -- God, from the beginning of time Who created everything, was born in that cave. We were among many Christian pilgrims from around the world who came to pay tribute and honor to God for the birth of His Son there. Truly a STAR was born when Christ was born, and we made our way down to the grotto via narrow stairs to get inside the quiet cave where a star is embedded in the floor that recognizes the actual place of the birth of our Savior. In our deepest humility and thanksgiving for the Star of all Stars, we had to bend low to touch or kiss that star. "Bending low" seems the operative word for bowing before our Creator to give Him our worship and praise. It was a profoundly emotional and spiritual experience, to say the least -- the birthplace of our Savior over 2000 years ago. Our guide said, "Say thank You, Jesus, for my salvation!" We did.

Back to the start of this post and being “under the influence”. We have been "under the influence" of He Who is the originator of joy, peace, and love, so, of course, we are "high" on all that this beautiful season has held. At the announcement of Jesus' birth, the shepherds were under the influence of the angels. The magi were under the influence of HOPE and the Star they saw in the East. I, too, have been “under the influence” of this beautiful season where I heard God's voice in the music and in the lights shining so brightly and in my friends and family as we opened our hearts to His love.

No one has influenced and changed the world the way Jesus has done. And under His influence, more lives have been positively changed than by anyone else in history. People who encounter the risen Christ are totally transformed. Their outlook on life is altered forever. Many devote their lives to serving others, minimizing their own needs and desires -- all because of Christ's influence on them.

I don’t want to be counted among those who are under the influence of negativity and hatred and, quite frankly, the enemy of our souls. My desire is to always check out what, or WHO is influencing me. AND, what does MY influence look like in impacting others in a positive way? Perhaps it's time we all took a trip to the cave or stable. It just might be that we'll be influenced by the precious baby in the manger and we'll have a "STABLE" influence, not just in our own lives, but all those we influence, too.