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Keep the Door of Happiness Open

Don't slam closed the door of happiness just yet.  -christyfitzwater.com

The boys weren’t around, so I wrapped up in a quilt and put in A Christmas Carol.

My favorite movie.

As the ending credits rolled, I prayed, Lord, let me be Fred.

Why won’t you say anything against your Uncle Scrooge? Why won’t you, Fred? says his lovely bride.

Because Fred has hope.

He has hope that a person can change, so he never stops inviting his uncle, year after year, to Christmas dinner.

It’s the gospel of Christ –that a person can, year after year, be in the kingdom of darkness.

Ugly and mean.

Selfish.

Stingy.

And then one day…

One day Christ rescues and makes new.

Christ makes the redeemed laugh out loud with joy, and I must have the Patrick Stewart version of A Christmas Carol, for his incredible performance of learning how to laugh after years of scowling.

The gospel shouts that people can change.

Students.

Husbands.

Children.

Friends.

“…if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come…” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV)

And so we keep the door of happiness open, as Fred says. Always hopeful.

Refusing cynicism and anger.

Always believing the Spirit of Christ can bring someone through the night, into the cold, crisp air of a new day. Cold, says Scrooge, as he throws open the window on Christmas morning. Cold, piping for the blood to dance to. 

There are Scrooge’s among us.

Someone desperately needs you to be Fred.

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