As a kid, I had to be 9 or 10 years old, we would go to my grandparents farm in East Texas for holidays. It was and still is one of my favorite places to visit. I am truly blessed to have grandparents still alive and able to be examples for us and my kids. Like any kid, we have cousins that we treat like our siblings. Sometimes, even with our siblings, you can only handle them in doses. I am sure their are people in my family that feel this way about me too. Well, this cousin of mine was just being annoying for the entire week of Christmas. As I remember, she tattled on me for stuff. She was always bragging about how stuff she had was better than what I had. It was non stop for the entire time I was there. As a kid, you really have no way to just get away. There was no, let me get in the car and drive away. I don't remember what the straw was that broke the camel's back but I do remember the result. I walked into my Grandmother's formal living room. Held my hands behind my back. I said, "guess what, I have a present for you". She walked close and I turned and laid a right hook across her left cheek. It was the only time in my life, I ever sucker punched anyone. It was the only time I ever hit a girl, other than one of my sisters. All I knew, was craziness ensued. My Aunt ran to her daughter as she yelled at me. She said something about previous health problems. My grandmother just chuckled because she had seen my patience wearing thin. My mom gave me the don't hit girls speech. It was the first time I ever got in trouble but not really. It was a crazy event in my life.
I told the kids that I had 3 things they needed to learn from that story. First, never hit a girl. Second, never sucker punch anyone. Several of the kids only remembered that I punched my cousin in the face. The point was the third thing I talked about. The third thing had to do with shepherds and joy and Christmas. Well, Luke 2 retells the night of the first Christmas and the great scene the shepherds experienced. They got done and they were not going to let anything keep them from experiencing the joy of seeing Jesus that night. How often do we let things through the holidays take away our joy. Family members that we get to much of, busy-ness of the season, or different strained circumstances can keep us from being joyful. As a kid, I let my aggravation with my cousin get to me and I lost my cool and my joy that holiday. This year, don't do that. Jesus is good news that brings great joy. It is a joy that is bigger than your annoying family members. It is bigger than the guy that just cut you off trying to find a parking spot at the mall. It is a joy that everyone needs. Don't miss it because you are watching sheep. Don't miss it because someone takes it from you. Don't miss Christ's joy for anything.
