Tyler and Emily in PNG

This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”. 1 Timothy 1:15

As I reflect on Christmas and why I celebrate Christmas, I think of the manger but I also think of the cross. As Paul wrote to Timothy and to the church, Paul himself declares he was the worst sinner of all. However, the good news of Christmas is Christ came to save you and me. Yes, swallow your pride and accept that we are indeed sinners. I am not ashamed to ask for forgiveness because I do sin. I am not proud to sin but as a human here on Earth, we are sinners by nature. God the Father sent his Son through the Holy Spirit to be born by a virgin, Mary. Immanuel, had a mission, an objective, and a purpose just as you and I have a mission in life. His mission was to save sinners.

It might not feel like Christmas in my part of the world, but the reason to celebrate the birth of a Savior has not changed over 2000 plus years. As we share, give, and fellowship this Christmas, pause to read the Christmas story and rejoice with the coming King.

The song lyrics repeat, ‘It’s starting to feel a lot like Christmas…’ well I believed those lyrics until I came to PNG. As the temperature soars to above 90 degrees the Christmas tree and gifts seem to be in conflict. The mood of Christmas seems to take a very different atmosphere in the tropics. Imagine swapping July 4 with Christmas…doing so will help you put your Christmas worldview with mine. Christmas makes me want to have a BBQ on the beach and play volleyball not sit by a fire, drink hot cider, and watch the kids play in the snow.

Don’t get me wrong, the Christmas-eve and Christmas services still take place and gifts will be opened. In fact, this year we are planning both a Christmas eve dinner and a Christmas get together for all expatriates with PBT.

As Christmas does not feel like Christmas, my mind is moving forward and thinking more and more that 2011 is ending and 2012 is coming. I reflect over the past 12 months and stand in awe of what God has done in my life. Just last Christmas I was in Anchorage, Alaska with the temperature below zero and now I find myself 6 degrees south of the Equator in PNG. Wow…what a life change. I will be reflecting more and highlighting my year in review on my next post.

PS – I am starting to wonder if Santa will be wearing all those ridiculous layers of clothes when he stops at my house on Christmas eve…I guess I will have to stay up to find out. But if I stay up and wait for Santa, then he might not come after all. So…maybe I will just eat all his cookies and go to bed early.

Merry Christmas from Papua New Guinea!