It is ten days until Christmas and I feel the anxiety creeping in.
I am not finished with the shopping and my children have not yet seen Santa. I have to take a deep breath and let it out. I purpose in my heart that these next days…this precious season…will not be about material possessions or what decorations I never got around to unpacking. I want it to be about Him.
I come home from work and it’s dark and cold. I feel sad and inadequate and the Liar is wreaking havoc.
Then I see words written in crayon.
Emily is thanking God for Jesus because it’s His birthday. She is thanking God for the angel blanket on our couch because it reminds her of the angel that came to Mary a long time ago. And I am overwhelmed with the grace that God has poured out on our little family.
Thank You, God.
Amen. My husband and I are so thankful to not be captive to society’s definition of Christmas. Not one gift sits beneath our tree. Not one Santa Claus adorns our modest quarters. Perhaps there will be a few little items come Christmas morning because of tradition, but the day will be about the Precious Lamb, our Savior, Jesus Christ.
I was having similar thoughts this morning and crying over how much I let the stress of trying to make everything perfect for Christmas (and life in general) overwhelm me. Thanks for posting this and reminding me to step back, take a deep breath, and focus on the true meaning of Christmas.