distinctly askew

A little meditation I’ve written for Church on Sunday:

Slow down, Christmas is coming,
don’t worry it will arrive.

The unwritten cards really don’t matter;
you don’t need to fret about presents still to buy.

The office party is all in the past.
The long journey home, on Christmas Eve,
through sleet or fog or freezing rain;

for now, it doesn’t matter.

Forget about Nigella’s, or Jamie’s or Delia’s time plans.
Don’t fret about what you’ll say to Mum, or your uncle, or your brother when you see them,
or about having to be nice for a whole day.

Don’t worry about what you’ve spent so far,
or haven’t bought yet
or whether they’ll like it
or whether they’ll be there.

Don’t worry if this isn’t how your family does Christmas
or if it doesn’t seem right,

or if you just miss them
and this time of year hurts most.

Slow down,
Christmas is coming,
it will all happen soon.

But there is something more.

God loved people like you
so much that he gave his son.

Slow down,  
Christmas is coming

Slow down,

stop,

remember.

God loved you
So much that he gave his son.

Celebrate what he’s done.