Do You Have the Right Focus This Holiday Season?

My husband Dan is a bit of a redneck. Truth be told, all Southerlands have a bit of redneck in them. For example – he says that the two most important tools in the world are duct tape and WD-40. He loves to tell me: "If it moves and it ain't supposed to move – use duct tape. If it is supposed to move and it doesn't – use WD-40. If you need to tighten up – use the duct tape. If you need to loosen up – use the WD-40."

That is the very definition of redneck. But there is a point here. It begins with this question. Did you know that duct tape and WD-40 are both repurposed products?

Duct tape was originally called duck tape. Duck tape was first used in the military to keep moisture out of ammunition cases. And because it was waterproof, soldiers began to refer to it as "duck tape." They quickly discovered that this tape was incredibly versatile and could be used to repair tents, guns, vehicles, and countless other things. Eventually, it was mass-produced, and the color was changed from army green to match ductwork in homes and renamed duct tape. Has there ever been an invention more important to the existence of humankind than duct tape?

WD-40 gets its name from "Water Displacement – formula number 40." It was originally designed for aerospace purposes. Convair, an aerospace contractor, first used WD-40 to protect the outer skin of the Atlas Missile from rust and corrosion. The product worked so well that several employees snuck cans of WD-40 Multi out of the plant in their lunchboxes to use at home. Today WD-40 is the most commonly used lubricant in the world.

Hmmm. I think it is time for me to repurpose my thinking about Christmas. Maybe I have drifted too far from its original purpose. The story of God is a love story. It is the story of the extremes God will go to have a relationship with us. The Bible reveals many chapters in this love story. God reveals Himself to us in so many ways:

-Creation

-Leaders

-The Law

-The Prophets

-Jesus

God ultimately sends Jesus to us to show us His love. This is what we celebrate at Christmas. This is what I need to get back to.

"For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:16-17 (NLT)

This is the message of Christmas: God would go to the extreme to tell and show us how much He loves us. He sent his Son! He sent His very best! This is what we celebrate at Christmas. This is what I have to get back to. I need to duct tape everything I do at Christmas to this purpose.

Decorating for Christmas is a BIG deal in my house. I think part of that is because I grew up poor. Mom worked three jobs to make ends meet. There was neither time nor money to spend on decorating the house. We always put up a simple Christmas tree. But that was about it. Not me. Not now. I have boxes of Christmas decorations. Last year our son Jered counted twenty of them that he moved up from the basement. My husband, Dan, says we have to own a house with a basement to have room for my Christmas decorations. I love decorating for Christmas!

I also love giving gifts at Christmas. Buying gifts for those we love is so much fun. I start thinking about the right Christmas gift for everyone on my list as soon as January rolls around. I listen to conversations. I ask probing questions. I want them to shout, "this is exactly what I wanted," when they open that gift. So I work at it year-round. Jesus was so right when He said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." I love watching those I love open the gifts I have bought them. I love watching the expressions on their faces. I love seeing their joy.

Decorations and gifts are a big deal for me. But I need to duct tape my decorating and gift-giving to their original purposes.

I should decorate because Christmas is a big deal. It is the center point of history. It is a change point in history. It is the most significant moment in human history! I need to decorate because I am celebrating Jesus – not just because I like how it makes my home look.

The same is true with my gift-giving. I need to remind myself that I give these gifts because of the gift Jesus has given me at Christmas. The gift of eternal life. The gift of purpose. The gift of salvation. The gift of hope. The gift of His constant presence and direction in my life. The gift of love. God loves me this much. I do not give gifts just because it makes me feel good about myself or even about those I love. I want to give gifts to celebrate what Jesus has given me.

I think it is time to repurpose my Christmas.

One of my favorite verses is Romans 8:28. Here is what it says:

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Romans 8:28

Every year we face things in life that are good, bad, and ugly. Every year. But this verse makes us a very specific promise. God will use them all – the good, the bad, and the ugly – to bring good if I do two things. Thing one He wants from me is for me to love Him. Thing two He wants from me is for me to pursue His purpose.

So this year, I am repurposing this verse into a Christmas verse. God demonstrated His love for me by sending His Son, Jesus, into this world. That is what we celebrate at Christmas. I choose to make that the purpose of my Christmas this year.

It is time for me to use the WD-40 to loosen up on the things I attach to Christmas that don't matter. And it is time for me to use the duct tape to tighten up on the things that do matter this Christmas. It's time for a redneck Christmas.

How about you? What do you need to repurpose in your Christmas this year?

Related Resource: Listen to our Christmas podcast, The Characters of Christmas with Dan Darling. You can find all of our episodes at LifeAudio.com. Listen to episode 1 by clicking the play button below:

Mary Southerland is also the Co-founder of Girlfriends in God, a conference and devotion ministry for women. Mary’s books include, Hope in the Midst of Depression, Sandpaper People, Escaping the Stress Trap, Experiencing God’s Power in Your Ministry, 10-Day Trust Adventure, You Make Me So Angry, How to Study the Bible, Fit for Life, Joy for the Journey, and Life Is So Daily. Mary relishes her ministry as a wife, a mother to their two children, Jered and Danna, and Mimi to her six grandchildren – Jaydan, Lelia, Justus, Hudson, Mo, and Nori.