The Smells of Christmas

By Gina Stinson

Gingerbread, pumpkin pie, apple cider, roasted turkey, fresh breads, and homemade cookies are the smells of the season in my kitchen.

Last Christmas Eve, we were busy getting things ready for Santa’s arrival…reindeer food, cookies, peppermint stick, and milk. We wrapped last minute gifts, made an emergency trip to the local store, and tried to keep the kids under control. It was hurried and crazy but at four in the afternoon things took a turn. We left for church.

Focusing on the true meaning of Christmas had a calming affect. We enjoyed fellowship, music, and communion with our church family and returned home to welcome more friends for Christmas Eve finger foods.

When everyone was tucked in bed, Bruce and I decided to cook the Christmas ham through the night, leaving the oven free for more food in the morning. By the time we finished getting the ham in the oven and had assembled some “no assembly required” toys and we could finally turn in, it was two in the morning.

At 4:30am I woke and stumbled to the bathroom. My eyesight was blurred, but I chalked it up to being tired. Light from the bathroom caught a haze filling the house. An acrid smell hit me. Something was burning!

I scurried to the kitchen and noticed smoke coming through the stove burners. When I opened the oven, smoke rolled out into the room.

Juices from the ham had spilled over into the oven where it burned and continued to burn. When I’d opened the oven door, that same liquid spilled onto my kitchen floor—hot, greasy, burnt-smelling ham juices.

Despite our efforts to clean up the mess, all day the smell lingered in the house. I guess for the Stinsons we have a new smell of the season to throw in our memory bank. Burnt ham juice.

The fragrance of Christ—although always sweet and satisfying—lingers much the same way the smell of burnt ham permeated the air in our house that Christmas, long after the ham was gone.

I wonder if God doesn’t wish for His children to permeate that thoroughly as a sweet smelling fragrance in a world of sour sin.

For the record…the ham was delicious.

PRAYER: Thank You Father for those moments in life when memories are made with people we love. May the fragrance of Christ in me permeate the air others breathe.

“For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ,” 2 Corinthians 2:15 KJV.

Gina Stinson resides in Sulphur Springs, Texas with her family. As a minister’s wife, homeschooling mom of two and publicist assistant, she juggles her time and talents in hopes of honoring and pleasing Jesus Christ. You can learn more about Gina and her juggling at http://journalinggina.blogspot.com