Photo by Lorri Nussbaum
How busy are you?
Shopping. Cooking. Wrapping. Christmas cards. Parties. Secret Santas. Ornaments. Crafts. Cleaning. House guests. Travel. Concerts and plays.
Any of this sound familiar?
I do love the heart of Christmas. The music of Christmas. The glory of Christmas. The story of Christmas.
At the same time, I find myself asking: When it comes to Christmas, what do we expect of ourselves–and why?
And what does God expect of us–and why?
No quick answers here. I don’t think the answer necessarily is the same for everyone, so I am not writing about slowing down and doing less.
Instead, I’m writing to challenge myself, and you, to pause in the midst of festivities and breathe in and breathe out a few times. Emmanuel: God with us.
Where is God with you right now? A place of darkness? A place of joy? A place of pain? A place of hope?
What you expect of yourself may not be what God expects of you. Hear his invitation to see and bear the light of the world.
God gave me the opportunity to send a Christmas gift and card with words of encouragement to a missionary in Puerto Rico. Envelopes were placed on a Christmas tree at our church and I took one not knowing who it was or where it was to go. I have already sent my gift and card and hope that God will bless this missionary and his family this Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you Olivia and your family.
Shirley