She Was Missing Christmas, the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Do you feel like you’re “missing Christmas” right now?

Are you fearing you might be “missing Christmas” this year? 

Is someone you love no longer with us on earth and so you’re missing your loved one, dreading Christmas day?

Are your emotions so numb to Christmas that you just wish it could be over?

I am absolutely not a composer, but I composed this song in 2003. I was “missing Christmas” for health reasons once again. Perhaps our Lord will bring you comfort as you read it.

Missing Christmas

She grimaced in pain, as she lay in her bed;

Visions of sugar plums danced in her head.

Christmas Eve almost over and still she was ill.

Nothing had given relief, not one pill.

She was missing Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year.

She was missing Christmas, her holiday treasured so dear.

The anger, the pain, the sadness so deep…

Her family kissed her gently, “Please sleep,”

as they left for church to worship the Babe.

And her heart filled with tears, beginning to weep.

She was missing Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year.

She was missing Christmas, her holiday treasured so dear.

The radio at bedside had forced jolly tunes

of Santa and snow and “Christmas comes soon.”

With foggy head, in the pained, dizzy spin,

She could not sit up; it felt torture and rude.

She was missing Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year.

She was missing Christmas, her holiday treasured so dear.

Then the DJ shared from his heart,

“Christmas is Jesus, His humanly start.

He came to earth as Emmanuel love”

and they played “Silent Night” wrapped in a jazz chart.

Silent night! Holy night! 
Son of God, love’s pure light,
radiant beams from thy holy face,
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, 
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

(“Silent Night, Holy Night,” text by Mohr, J., 1818)

God With Us, Immanuel

Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us” (Mt. 1:22-23).

“You’re not missing Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year.

You’re not missing Christmas.

Beloved, I am right here.”

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Gal. 2:20 ESV).

Jesus held her hand, stroked her sweaty hair,

And they sang, “Hallelujah” as worship filled the air.

Silent night! Holy night!
wondrous star, lend thy light;
with the angels let us sing
alleluias to our King;
Christ, the Savior, is born!
Christ, the Savior, is born!

Christmas with help and comfort from Jesus Christ

She could worship and love Him from here or anywhere.

“Beloved, I am right here.

Beloved, do not fear.

Beloved, I am right here.”

(“Missing Christmas,” copyright 12-25-03, Lauri A. Hogle)

Resources for my suffering sisters in Christ

I remember the year I thought I was missing Christmas. I remember tearful worship in my sickbed as if it were yesterday. Beloved in Christ, I’m praying that your Christmas will be a uniquely intimate and memorable time to worship our Savior, specifically because you’re suffering right now.

Perhaps the resources below will be encouraging to you in this Christmas season. The weekly YouTube playlists are filled with Scripturally-focused songs and hymns for us to sing to the Lord, whether from a sickbed or as personal worship times between church services.

This week’s playlist gives us words of praise to our Savior, Emmanuel, “God with us,” in gentle settings fit for a time of suffering, grief, loss, and prayer. This week’s YouTube offering includes “Missing Christmas.” If this would bless you, see below.