Spiritually Speaking

I am trying to get ready for Christmas in Tamale. It’s coming ready or not, on December 25th. I wonder what will get me ready? Maybe a cold front, diving down from the Sahara Desert, bringing, rain, a sharp drop in the temperature, changing the rain to ice, then snow. That might do it. Or, maybe the 2 television stations in Ghana would start showing movies like “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “White Christmas,” “Miracle on Thirty-Fourth Street,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Frosty the Snow Man,” “The Grinch Stole Christmas,” or please forgive me, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” That might get me ready. Or maybe I could take a trip to the local “Mall” and watch the shoppers hurrying around amidst, the sound of Christmas music over the P. A. system, and stand next to the Salvation Army bell ringer and his money kettle. Maybe I could find a department store with Santa’s workshop and the long line of bright eyed children waiting to tell Santa what they want for Christmas. Yeah, that might get me ready. Or maybe I’ll sit up all night addressing Christmas Cards and listening to Christmas music on one of those stations that plays nothing else for about two weeks before the big day. Maybe they would play my favorite, “Grandma Got Run Over by a Rain Deer” Being over here makes you miss all of that stuff even though none of it has anything to do with the reason for the season. I would really get ready if someone sent us word that they were flying us to Alabama for Christmas with our family, but I guess I’ll get ready for Christmas the old fashioned way. “Now there were in the same country, shepherds in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night. And low, the angel of the Lord stood before them and the glory of the Lord shown round about them and they were so afraid.” Joseph and Mary, and the shepherds got ready by finding room in their heart for a baby. Get ready, read it with me, and I’ll see you in Church.