This year we got started a little later than usual on the decorations. It just takes awhile to build up the "feeling" of Christmas. Without the stores and malls that have the music playing non-stop and selling the decorations since Halloween, we don't "feel" it. It's such a bizarre feeling. Because we really have to conjure it up. Sometimes it makes me want to forget the whole deal because it feels so contrary to what it's really all about, but I love all the other stuff involved. I love the lights and my nativity set, I love reading the Jesse Tree advent stories every night as a family. I love getting out all the ornaments and telling stories about each one. I love having just the tree lights on at night. But then, when we are the only ones celebrating this holiday, what is it really about? Are we really making a difference? All our neighbors see are the lights and presents. Do we have a certain sparkle about our eyes or when we say it's Jesus' birthday...do they really get it? I don't know. At any rate, we continue on, because it makes us feel normal. We need that right now.
So it was Toby's year to hang the star.
The morning was complete with cinnamon rolls! Food makes everything feel okay! So we fight the battle of balancing what the holiday is about and how we feel. Hopefully the kids are learning to enjoy good things, but also fight the selfish indulgence and look for ways to make this holiday special. So we continue to look for the special things hidden for us to find this Christmas. We began praying as a family that this year for his birthday we could give him a heart. The heart of a new believer. We are praying to stumble into that one person who is ready to hear and receive the good news of his coming!
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