A Meaningful Christmas

I don't know what it is about this time of year that can really take a toll on a person. Maybe the over packed and busy schedules of all the holiday festivities or the stress of finding the perfect gifts to give or maybe it's the crowds or traffic that flood the stores and streets. Whatever it is, it got a hold of me recently and it was not pretty. I've experienced plenty of emotions just in the last week. At one point I was feeling sad about missing some Christmas parties with friends due to other things on my schedule, to feeling sad and left out about not being invited to others. I felt rushed and stressed about not having enough time to finish the shopping, the wrapping, the cleaning. I got frustrated with plans that kept changing for my visit home to see family and friends. I was even annoyed at food choices for upcoming dinners. Seriously?!?! I had a bad attitude and there is nothing attractive about that.

It wasn't until I finally sat down Sunday evening, after a day of go, go, go and do, do, do that it hit me square in the face. I was going through some emails on my iPad and came across a devotional that had been sent to me the Friday prior that I had been too busy to read until that moment. The title interested me so I clicked on it. It read, "Is Merry Christmas Really What We're After?" At that particular moment I wasn't really sure. The writer encouraged us to have more than just a Merry Christmas but to have a Meaningful Christmas. When I stopped to think about why we even celebrate Christmas in the first place I felt ashamed. It's not about presents and parties and fancy dinners. It's about celebrating the day that Love was born into the world to save us all. It's so easy to get caught in this trap of complaining. And, if we don't catch it, it can spread like wildfire, it can strain relationships, and it can flatout make you miserable during the hap happiest time of the year.

What I'm doing tonight is challenging you to take a moment and take inventory in your heart. What is consuming you this Christmas? If it's not the miraculously birth of our Savior Jesus Christ maybe we need to take a step back and figure out why that is. I will leave you with this closing thought from the perfectly placed email that was left in  my inbox for me to read to remind me that

Jesus is the Reason for the Season.

"Yes. I want us all to have a merry Christmas. But more than that I want us to have a meaningful Christmas. Not one that is consumed with consuming or lost in senseless secondary conversations, but one that is fixed on adoration, celebration, consideration and awe. One that reflects on and gives thanks to God for sending Jesus to be our hope. One that is rich with depth and love and relationship. One that is ful of His fullness of grace." (Gwen Smith, Girlfriends In God)