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Hanukkah Testimony
Freedom isn't free, and I have found a greater understanding of that statement.
Last weekend I decided to clear out all the Christmas decorations that have been more than a lifetime of collecting. Some things were from my mothers childhood, my childhood and my children s, so there was a whole closet full of 'things.' There was a large Angel collection and several Nativity sets of various designs.
Some things I had set as treasures in my mind. But....they are all gone now. I am freed from the bondage of having to perform because it is expected of me, (decorating my house). I am freed from the clutter of a collection I really had no room for. (Now I have a closet to store clothes in). I am freed from feeling that my possessions were crossing the line to becoming idolatry.
I AM FREED!!
I can't explain this feeling of being lighter, but I have shaken off a burden I didn't realize I was carrying. It is fantastic!
I still love what Christmas stands for but I'm not bound to one day of one month of the year. Christ should be celebrated every day and I intend to do just that.
I have much to celebrate. God's gift of His Son, Christ's taking my punishment on himself, His resurrection and the Holy Spirit's prompting me to accept it all. Praise God for His Salvation!
I wish I could describe more completely how it feels, but maybe others are to experience it for themselves instead of just reading about it.
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This morning I finished reading about Hanukkah. I love the paragraph on "religion." That is so good, and I've never heard it described like that. I used to cringe when a friend would call me 'religious' and wish I could have shared that thought with her. Thank you for the insight.
I must say that I cried through some of it as God spoke to me. I guess I have never understood praying for Jerusalem before. I'm not sure my brain can handle all the directions God is taking my thoughts in such a short time. WOW!
Your Sister,
Barbara
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