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The Beginning of Crazy

 

So it begins! The blessed month of advent is upon us and so is the craziness. I try and focus on the meaning of Christmas in our house; I only have a nativity out currently and a tree to go up shortly, but I am not bothering much with decorations as we are going away for Christmas itself. However, I must admit I have been a Christmas crazy lady over the years. Decorations everywhere, lots of beautiful Thomas Kinkaid sculptures, one tall beautifully decorated tree and sometimes other smaller trees. Our children loved to have a decorated tree in their bedrooms when they were young. Over the years we have often had masses of family for morning tea or lunch, and other years we would visit another family member’s house. None of them decorated like I did. I loved it! Jesus deserves to have a party with all the trimmings. Unfortunately I find I no longer have the energy to decorate as much as I used to.

However, every Christmas night when everyone had either departed or gone to bed, I would turn off all except the Christmas tree lights, and reflect on the amazing gift God gave us; to ponder on the way he used a lowly but faith-filled young woman to bear this gift; to consider the lowly stature of the shepherds who were the first to hear of the birth; to contemplate the prophecies about Jesus; to worship in awe at such unbelievable love and the redemptive plan God had for us because of that love. Jesus has always been the focus of my Christmas in spite of the decorations. I have started what I hope will be a new tradition with the grandchildren—acting out the Christmas story in costume on Christmas Eve. What else is happening this month?

Last Tuesday our Life Group had their Christmas party. Today our music and movement group had their Christmas breakup and as I am a volunteer I was part of this. For the coming Sunday I have helped organise our usual celebration for our children during our church service, and the following Sunday I have planned the children’s Christmas party. There is in the meantime, a national online prayer meeting this Saturday. Coming up is our Women’s Ministries Christmas party. Thank goodness I have only a couple of presents left to buy this Friday and then the Christmas shopping is done. As we are having Christmas with our children and grandchildren this year and they live three hours away, we have simply forwarded money to them to pay for our share of the Christmas dinner. Easy!

Every year I try to simplify my life and this year I managed a huge declutter with the renovations. How easy to make everything complicated and hard work when it is not necessary—something I have been a master of. This Christmas I have also simplified as much as I am able, in my own small sphere.

Take care and God bless as you prepare for this Christmas season. I pray you manage to keep it simple and meaningful.

 

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