Dear Lord, thank You for Your faithful presence and comfort during my sadness. I pray that especially during this Christmas season my eyes will be open to others who are hurting. Please help me to love them for You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

When Christmas is Hard
LeAnn Rice

"He heals the brokenhearted..." Psalm 147:3 (NIV)

Looking at the calendar, I counted the number of days till Christmas. I'd done it every year, eagerly looking forward to celebrating Christ's birth or surprising someone with the perfect Christmas gift.

However, this time I was counting down the days not with excitement, but with dread.

My husband Ron passed away in April. That Christmas would be one of many dreaded "firsts" that my son and I would have without him.

Fragile, shattered and alone describe my feelings that holiday season. While everyone else seemed caught up in happy festivities, their family togetherness magnified my lonely brokenness.

Along with overwhelming grief, I was worried. How would I financially support us? How could I help my son have a fun holiday when I could hardly stop crying? It all seemed like too much.

Maybe you understand because this holiday season is hard for you too. A loved one may have passed or someone you love is battling a serious illness. This might be your first holiday separated or divorced. Just as I did, you may be feeling grief, dread or worry.

That first Christmas without my husband was fourteen years ago. Its taken time, but over the years I've adopted some practices to help me find joy during the Christmas season. I'd love to share with you today.

Honor your loved one. My husband's absence at special occasions still weighs on my heart years later. To honor his memory, Nick and I place a special ornament on our Christmas tree. It hangs front and center as a reminder Ron is a part of every celebration, because he is a part of us. Perhaps you can hang an ornament on your tree, give a gift in your loved one's honor, or make a donation in their memory to an organization that was dear to their heart. Consider making their favorite meal and sharing stories about them as you gather around your Christmas table.

Create new traditions. I always loved a big, family-oriented holiday with noise and messiness. Because my extended family lives far away, Nick and I needed to find a new "family" close by. Over the years, God has sent people to fill the empty spaces in our lives and hearts. One of my favorite new traditions is to spend an evening with my friends where I make a big Christmas dinner. We celebrate together with food, fellowship and all the noise and messiness I crave.

Share Christ's comfort. I've experienced God's promise to heal my broken heart, as today's key verse reminds us. Much of my healing has come from the love He's sent through other people. Because of this, I keep my eyes open for those who might be grieving or sad at the holidays. I've found that comforting others brings me comfort.

This year as I anticipate the Christmas season, I'll experience a familiar combination of emotions. Sadness will tug at my heart as I miss celebrating this special time with my husband, but I'm excited to celebrate what only Christ can do — heal my broken heart. The comfort He brings is one of the many reasons to celebrate His birth this Christmas season.