This Christmas

Things I've been praying for the last few weeks.

~people who are living paycheck to paycheck and can't give their family the Christmas they really want.

~people who are enslaved to debt and having to put everything on a credit card this Christmas, knowing they will be beyond stressed to pay it off.

~people who are missing the entire point of Christmas...the gift our Savior, Jesus Christ.

~wives and moms that are spending Christmas without their husband who is in another country fighting for our freedom.

~parents who desperately desire for their kids to be at home on Christmas day

~couples who are trying to get pregnant and living on a 28-day cycle, with every cycle ending in tears and hopelessness

~a friend who is waiting for her adoption numbers to change so they are closer to having their child(ren) come HOME

~my multiple friends who have a parent with some kind of illness

~a friend who could find out some disappointed medical news

~multiple people I know who are job hunting at probably the worst time of year

~a friend's preemie who has his ups and downs, but trying so hard to be home in time for Christmas

~the elderly who sit in their house all alone staring at 4 walls. The loneliness they feel. Unloved. Under-appreciated. Helpless.

This is deemed "the most wonderful time of the year", yet people hurt more this time than most any other time of the year. Whether its something I've listed above or facing the loss of a loved one and this is the first Christmas without them (it could even be the 2nd, 5th, 10th, or 20th) or it could be something completely unbeknown-st to anyone else. It all hurts the same. The trees may be up and decorated, the lights on the house and around town are sparkly and beautiful, the Christmas music playing loudly wherever you go, the joys of buying presents, all the pretty gifts wrapped and ready for people to tear into, the holiday parties, the meals, etc. None of these things make the hard things in life go away. It may put a mask on our trials for a few weeks, but the they are still there waiting on us. Weighing us down. Chains that we carry. Burdens that seem to heavy to bear.

Christmas is truly about our Savior, the Prince of PEACE! If we really take a step back from the hustle and bustle and what society says we "should" be doing/celebrating, then we can maybe put this season into perspective. We celebrate a man in a red suit who brings gifts that only offer temporal gratification, instead of completely focusing our eyes on the One who brings eternal freedom from everything this world offers or throws at us. I'm not here to debate if people should or should not celebrate "santa" b/c that is each person's/family's personal choice. My point is that our main focus should be Jesus Christ. Not the presents under the tree. Not how much we are spending on the people on our list. Not worrying about making everyone happy this year. Its simply celebrating the greatest gift of all!

Somewhere in between Thanksgiving and New Years, we get lost in our "to-do" lists. We forget what we're really doing. We forget why we really celebrate. Everything becomes so self-oriented masked by buying gifts for other people. We truly lose sight of those around us that are hurting b/c we don't have time to worry about it until after the holidays are over. And, for most of us, we forget until we are the person hurting and then we desperately want others to be there for us. Life is too hard for us to "forget".

As I've been praying for my friends and family, I've made a point to be very thankful this Christmas season as well.

What I've been thankful for the last few weeks:
~we aren't enslaved to credit card debt (Thank the good Lord! This is difficult for all of us!)
~the time I get to spend with my husband
~having a present for every person on our list
~being able to give back to our community and children across the world
~my husband and I are on the same team
~restoration in many relationships

There are definitely some days I feel like we're missing out. I LOVE being able to buy presents for people and just buy anything I see that I know someone would like. I love going to the mall and seeing all the pretty clothes and stuff that I'd love to fill my house and closets with. I would love to take a trip for New Years. This year, those things just aren't in the cards. However, I have to keep my thought-life and desires in check. Those are not things that God wants us to desire. Are those things bad? No! What is bad is when things of this world drive our heart and we become disappointed or angry b/c we can't have what we want. This year, I'm making the choice to celebrate Christ. Not be discouraged by what we can't do or things that I feel limited in, but to take every second and appreciate the One True Gift Christmas celebrates...the life of Christ.

Let's not forget those around us that are hurting and living with life-circumstances that seem unbearable.

Let's take the time to serve those in need.

Let's take the time to be thankful for our lives and the blessings God has given us.

Most of all, let's not forget what we really celebrate this season. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Oh Come All Ye Faithful is my favorite Christmas carol. It just happened to be what our sermon was about this past Sunday. Take a look at this video...

Come FAITHFUL. Come joyful and triumphant. Come BEHOLD HIM. Come ADORE HIM.

Isaiah 9:6
"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given;
And, the government will be upon His shoulder.
And, His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."