Dee-i-Dee

Against all odds, it’s November! Great is the faithfulness of God our Father, who morning by morning, sends us new mercies. Glory to Him who has done so much that we’re behind in thanksgiving; blessed be the name of the Lord.

I recognize that November implies many things; preparations for Thanksgiving and end of year parties, and mostly that Christmas is next month; that market prices would soon head north (considering the impending fuel crisis alone), that frenzied shopping will be officially teed-off shortly, and of course that it will soon be time to either spoil ourselves silly or paint the town red in merriment. Not bad.

Characteristically, some of us have made plans towards Christmas already and actually have them running; we can’t wait to try out that great recipe, use those new sets of china, try on our new outfit, or get on that plane to some fun place on vacation. I actually know a family that begin saving for all these right from January – soon after the last celebrations. Each month, they put a little something aside in a dedicated savings account to sponsor their summer vac (where they’ve decided to have one) and Christmas spending which they often tidy up latest November, when market prices are still reasonable. Not bad either.

Well, while many people do their planning and shopping in the first few weeks of December and a few others just wait until Christmas morning before they rush into the markets and shops looking for foodstuffs and clothes for their wards – all of which I figure is still okay by the children, so long as they get Christmas clothes to wear and there’s chicken on the table – some other people don’t just do anything. Not because they don’t want to but probably because of financial constraints. In reality, isn't it when a man is well and not hungry that he considers the luxury of celebrating Christmas?

But God has been merciful unto us ward, and by His grace we’re a blessed people. To His honour, I’m urging us to ‘do it differently this year’.

‘Do it Differently’ (DiD) came to me as I pondered how I now wanted to do my Saturdays differently in my favour, and how it possibly aligns with God’s mind for the season. Thinking about it, I realized I could do stuffs differently in His favour too. And if you ask me, I believe this applies to us all.

Christmas has always been a good time to say ‘Thank You’ to all those who have impacted our lives in special ways but how about it being a good time to appreciate the unappreciated who haven’t done anything for us? If we do good only unto those who have done us same, what meaning is there to our Salvation?

Let us REACH OUT in love, differently. Talking about reaching out in love, some of us have been remarkably good, and I have no doubt in my heart that we will get our reward, not just in heaven but here on earth because God does not forget labours of love. As for those of us who haven’t been doing well in this regard, God’s word is nudging us today to look beyond our own lives this season and see the world through fresh eyes. To meaningfully celebrate this forth-coming birthday of Jesus in a different but special way; to remember our extended families in the villages, the poor, the many Juniors out there wondering why in the world they are not having new clothes like other children, or when they’re ever going to be invited to Santa’s party, the sick in the hospitals, the orphans, the prisoners, and importantly, those perishing. Think about it for a second, what would Jesus have done for/on His birthday? I figure it would be to make an eternal difference in the life of a needy or hurting someone.

“But why this now, it’s only November?” you may be wondering. This word is suitably ‘for such a time as this’, when we can still conveniently include our needy brothers and sisters in that budget. Though these are not financially good times, if we trust God and sow seeds of joy and happiness into people’s lives, I have no doubt whatsoever that it will all end up as one good turn that deserves another.

Have a blessed first week of November!

Selah.