Pastor’s Ponderings—December 2025
To the church of God as found at Marion Salem Church, called to be saints together with those in every place who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ: You are miracles of God’s grace and mercy!
I’ve been thinking a lot about Christmas. It’s not too far away now and it came to me that I need to manage my expectations for Christmas. I don’t think this is going to be the Greatest Christmas Ever. Don’t get me wrong. I think our family and our congregation are going to have a very good Advent and Christmas season—but the greatest? I mean, we live in a fallen world. Just so we’re on the same page:
The Top Ten Reasons This WON’T Be the Greatest Christmas Ever
#10: The Weather is not going to cooperate: For some it will be snowy and that will be bad, for others it will be green and that will be equally as bad.
#9: You will find stress or perhaps stress will find you. Let’s face it, there’s a reason why hustle and bustle makes us cranky.
#8: People will be people. Someone is going to say or do something (or not say or do something) and it’s going to be the source of stress, moodiness, and all sorts of unpleasantness. “Yeah, holidays!”
#7: Someone won’t be able to afford Christmas. Many families in our community and some in our congregation will experience a financial pinch that will put a damper on celebrations.
#6: Someone won’t be able to come home for Christmas. Certainly an experience that many families have experienced because of circumstances, yet there are also those who choose to be apart.
#5: Someone will be hungry for Christmas. For some families presents are the least of their concerns when it comes to Christmas. There will be a struggle to put food on the table.
#4: Someone will be sick for Christmas. We’ve had at least one Christmas where the flu’s timing couldn’t have been worse. Still, the flu is the least of concerns when it comes to health for some.
#3: We will miss someone at Christmas time. This one hits for me, those who made Christmas special and are no longer with us.
#2: It also won’t be the Second Best Christmas, because that’s the one where Jesus came to Earth as a little baby boy born in Bethlehem.
And finally, the number 1 reason why this won’t be the Greatest Christmas Ever: When Christ returns that will be a real Christmas and it will be the Greatest Christmas Ever… Well, so I guess there is a chance He could decide to come back this Christmas— so I’ll caveat with that.
For now, I’m placing my hope in a good Christmas, even very good—and looking forward to when Christ returns and makes it great!
Blessings,
Jason
