The Christmas decorations came down in my house about the middle of January. The tree came down. The outdoor wreaths and lights came down. The ornaments and angels and santas and snow globe all came down. They have gone into boxes for hibernation in the basement awaiting the next Christmas season. I don’t do a lotof decorating. But the house still look a little bare now.

But there is one thing I haven’t taken down yet. I still have about 30-40 Christmas cards taped to the outside of the pantry doors. I pass the doors when I go to my office or the front door. And when I walk by I see the beauty and the colors and the words of peace and joy and hope and the names of friends and family. They are good reminders of who I am and what I believe and the community of which I am a part. And that’s a good thing. So I haven’t taken them down yet.

Some Jewish homes have a mezuzah. A mezuzah is a small container placed in a front door post containing a scroll with the Shema written on it. The Shema is the center of Judaism. It is both a statement of faith and a prayer: “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One” (“Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord only”). Placed in the doorpost it is to remind those in the house who they are and what they believe and the community of which they are a part when they leave and come home. It is a good thing.

It is a troubling time. It is easy to get caught in endless news cycles and feel overwhelmed with worry and fear. And while Christian faith calls us to work for the kingdom of God in our world, the world and the issues of the world are not what define us. Rather we are defined by what we believe and the way we choose to live and the community of which we are a part. It’s good to be reminded of that regularly when we walk in and out our front door. I think I’ll leave the Christmas cards up for a while.

“Think of us this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of Gods mysteries.” – 1 Cor. 4:1

Glenn