As a child I used to wait in great anticipation for Christmas. I loved the excitement and the build up. The Christmas parties, plays and carols, seeing Santa (one year I woke up at 2 o’clock and opened my stocking!), getting gifts, making presents and dreaming of snow and a white Christmas.
But as an adult it’s been a completely different story. As a child, Christmas just ‘happened’ and now I’m on the side of making it happen.Trying to remember to get the right presents, getting them wrapped, working out where we will be, who we will see, and bringing the right things to the right occasion. I can get overwhelmed by the little details at the best of times so suddenly having a whole extra load of pressure… Argh!
I have found as the years go on I struggle more and more with what Christmas has become. Now before anyone yells “humbug”, lobs a wreath at me or calls me Scrooge I am talking about the incredible pressure and expectation that everything on this one day or one season has to be perfect and when it doesn’t you have failed. The focus has shifted to the material and the true meaning of Christmas gets lost in all the other stuff.
I was challenged recently to make sure I got to Christmas day without being burnt out, and I think I have just about managed it, by making sure we have just had some time out at home, and time together as a family, and time to remember why we celebrate.
I pray that tomorrow would be a beautiful day of joy, celebration and togetherness, remembering the message of hope and love of Jesus coming as a baby to save us, forgive us and restore our relationship with God. I pray for those at this time who are lonely, grieving, ill and suffering that you would feel Gods presence, love, and peace and joy.
I want to share this youtube video of my track ‘You are enough’. Sometimes life can be busy, stressed, and we get so caught up in the busyness and thinking we need more that we forget to see what we have. This song is a simple love song to Jesus, realising that he is enough. I pray it blesses you.
[youtube https://youtu.be/qLv0IixRn1g]
Wishing you an incredibly blessed Christmas and wonderful 2017!
God bless,
Kat