Today my body is rebelling. I don’t know if it’s a virus or sheer, unadulterated exhaustion, but I feel like I got in the way of an oncoming semi. I’m pretty sure there is not a single inch of my being that doesn’t hurt right now.
Thing is, I don’t have time for this. We are hosting Mark’s company Christmas party here tomorrow night. I love these people and want to make their once-a-year gathering warm, inviting and lovely. I want the decorations to be just right. I want everything to taste delicious. I want the atmosphere to lend itself to laughter and great conversations. I want these people to feel like family when they come through that door. I want them to find it difficult to leave at the end of the night.
It’s that time of year again, when all of us are crazy busy. Usually, there is some kind of shift that happens where the holiday season goes from being warm and cozy and sweetly reminiscent to wild, frenetic and exhausting. It can become financially difficult, emotionally waring, and physically exhausting.
Isn’t it interesting that this entire holiday season began with the birth of a Baby in a manger, void of decor or luscious food. As far as we know, only three gifts were given. There was no crowd of people. A King had just been born and His entry into the world was simple. And yet there was meaning beyond compare. The Savior of the world had just made His entrance to earth and that truth alone made it a glorious celebration.
I am speaking to myself right now. Or rather, I sense God speaking to me. In all of my effort to make this the “best Christmas ever”, the best Christmas ever happened over 2,000 years ago. Nothing can compare with that. As I make preparations and aim to remember that first Christmas, I need to be careful not to get so caught up in the party favors that I forget the Guest of Honor.
Jesus came for love. For relationship. I think He would be thrilled if we remembered His birthday by focusing on that. Loving Him and loving others. Anything else is just gravy.
If my body doesn’t snap out of this slump today, I might not get everything done that I’d like to accomplish for tomorrow night’s festivities. But that’s okay. There were dirty floors on that first Christmas. There were no perfectly crafted cookies or fragrant candles. And still the celebration went on…
Luke 2:6-7, 10-12 – While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them…But the angel said to them (shepherds), “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
