Dad was an early riser, and every year during the Christmas Season, he’d get up early and turn on all the Christmas lights so that Mom would walk into a brightly lit and festive living room first thing in the morning.
Last week, mom decorated the tree by herself, and at the end of the day, she turned the lights off and went to bed. The next morning when mom got up, she walked into a dark living room. The tree was there, the lights were in place, but everything was still dark when she got up.
We don’t like the dark. Children are afraid of the dark. Bugs come out in the dark. Wickedness happens in the dark. And darkness signals the end of the day. For Mom, the darkness is a reminder that Dad is not there. It is empty in the dark.
When we were little, Dad would bundle us kids up and drive around for what seemed like hours just to look at Christmas lights. Mom didn’t usually go with us, I don’t know why, maybe it was too cold, but when we got home there would be lots of newly wrapped presents under the tree! How did that happen!?
However, throughout the years when it was just mom and dad, mom went on those drives with dad. They had their favorite neighborhoods and houses that they’d drive by and enjoy. One of mom kids will take her out this year.
Christmas lights are a great tradition, yet I wonder, why do we put lights up at Christmas? So I Googled: “Why do we put lights on Christmas Trees?” and an article said, “As Christians, we believe that God is the light of the world.”
By putting lights on our houses and trees, we are testifying to the world: I believe God is the light of the world, and I believe that God came down and lived among us. We are not simply decorating; we are proclaiming truth in a dark world.
John 1:1; 8:12 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Matthew 1:23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”)
At Christmas we celebrate the incarnation of the eternal God in the Person of Jesus, who is the Light of the World.
Our Christmas lights shine forth for God because God calls each of His children to be light in the world; we are to let His light shine through us in our words and our deeds. Everything we do as Christians should be done to make God famous.
Matthew 5:16 – In the same way, let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
During Dad’s final days in his body, he said to me, “If I survive this, my house is going to be a beacon for Jesus!” His body didn’t survive, but his soul did, he is brightly priaising Jesus in heaven today! And his house is shining also! The Christmas lights are on again this year, inside and out of Mom and Dad’s house as they always have been.
This year Dad is celebrating with Jesus in eternal light. We know this because Dad believed that God, in the Person of the Lord Jesus, left the glory of heaven, and being made in human likeness, lived a sinless life, humbled himself and died on a cross as Dad’s substitute — paying the penalty for Dad’s sins — and then he rose from the dead three days later, and now he is exalted in heaven as Lord over all!
Merry Christmas, Dad!
Marcia Furrow 
how beautiful marcia,think of your dad everyday,especially as i was decorating for xmas,last year he gave me a singing xmas monkey,brought a smile to my face when i turned it on and it started jumping around saying i luv christmas, he hung it on my door and when i came home from work,it started going off scared the daylights outta me,and when i called him he laughed so hard!,still can hear that laugh! luv ya
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Oh Cindy, didn’t he love those animated toys hahahahaha Love you!
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This brought tears to my eyes. (Again!). Beautiful. Thank you again for a beautiful and inspiring message. Love you!
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Thank you, Sandy, love you, too.
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He was always good to his kids and family Thanks for words of
encourgement….
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Your dad is a good man! What a wonderful thing to have great memories of him! I hope your mom is well!
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Thank you.
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Yes, he was!! ♥
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ok this brought tears to my eyes. Reminding me of my mother who adored Christmas. Last night Kara came home and I had a work dinner to attend, but I had every Christmas light on so when she walked it, the light of Jesus was shinning bright. A reminder of the season. On a side note, I was so upset to see the signs in Time Square, that a group had put up about Christ needs to be taken out of Christmas. How dare they!!
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Lisa, funny how the kids love to come home to ‘Christmas’!! It never gets old!
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What a lovely memory and such a beautiful picture of Bonnie and Jim. You will never know how very much I wanted to be with all of you the weekend of his memorial service,but was too unwell. My heart,thoughts, and prayers were…and still are.
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Thank you, Carol, we did miss you! I trust you are feeling better! Merry Christmas, Marcia
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I read this post out loud to my family ( minus my daughter), and we all agree Christmas lights are a symbol for our actions and deeds! God’s light has come! Brightness in our lives through the gift of the Holy Spirit through Jesus death on the cross! What a very special post! My Tom had the tree lights on and the coffee on when I woke up this morning. I loved hearing how your dad had the lights on for your mom! Blessing this Christmas to you and yours! Hugs, Judy
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Merry Christmas, Judy 💕
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