After Christmas

I really hate this time of the year! Christmas is over but the snow is still around for another two months, It is so cold that I don't even want to go outside, and the Christmas lights are still up but everyone knows they have to come down soon. I think it might be this last thing that is the most depressing to me. The lights are so beautiful and before Christmas I love to look at them because they point to Christmas. It's almost like every house that is lit up with lights is a reminder that Christmas is almost here. Now, however the lights mean nothing. Oh there still beautiful and I still love to look at them but they have a sort of hollow beauty now. Not to overspiritualize everything but I couldn't help but think of how this is a good illustration. To me it represents so many who really do look the part. They try so hard to be put together, and shine as brightly as they can and yet there's is a hollow beauty. We need to realize that if Christ is not who we shine for then we are nothing more than disappointing to those who stop to stare at our efforts to shine.