Several years ago, our family found ourselves standing in the middle of Main Street, U.S.A. inside Magic Kingdom Park on Christmas Day.
Bustling people. Strollers. Photographers. Balloons. Vendors. Shops. We were easily overwhelmed by the orchestra of chaos all around us.
It is easy to get lost in an environment like that.
Amidst the mayhem we were able to lift our eyes to the end of the street where Cinderella’s Castle stood. Draped in Christmas lights, the castle invoked a sense of wonder and calm amidst the frenzied atmosphere.
It was a reminder of why we were enduring the crowd that was pressing around.
This sounds a bit like the Christmas season, doesn’t it?
It is easy for us to get lost amidst the cooking, decorating, traveling, socializing, and shopping, forgetting why we’re doing all this in the first place.
I wonder if it wouldn’t help us all to have our own ‘Cinderella’s Castle’ to gaze at along the way.
I love Christmas, but amidst the business of the season I need to remind myself of why I love it.
I fully understand that the decorations, gifts, music, consumerism, and Santa Claus are not a part of what we are celebrating. I understand there are arguments about the pagan ties to our modern celebrations. I get that Jesus’ birth likely wasn’t when we celebrate. To me these things don’t matter, they are all my “Cinderella’s Castle” reminding me of the One we celebrate.
When I see Christmas lights … I think of Him.
When someone says “Happy Holidays” … I think of Him.
When I listen to Christmas music … I think of Him.
When I see stores bustling with people buying gifts … I think of Him.
When I sit with my family around the Christmas tree … I think of Him.
To me, all of it points to Jesus. The good. The bad. All of it.
Everything that is Christmas is being redeemed by who He is and what His birth meant for us. It reminds me of the greatest gift humanity has ever received. They fill me with anticipation and hope, joy, and peace.
They are our ‘castle’ on Main Street this Christmas; helping us to reflect on the beauty and wonder of what it is we celebrate.
We hope that the reminder of the truth of what we celebrate will become your ‘castle’, too.
Just as our Lee Company team endeavors to be a reminder of the beauty of the season through our service and investment into the community; we hope that you, too, will be a luminary of the reason for the season to others in our community.
Kyle Froman, Lee Company Chaplain
