Merry Christmas

My post will be short and still no pictures because our computer is still on the blink and I do not like this laptop :) As I lay awake last night I started to think about Christmas and how quickly it got here and how I didn't get to do half of the things I wanted to do. I love going to church this time of year because I love the Christmas music and it helps me to focus. Even with daddy's help it was a little bit more challenging trying to get everyone out the door even at 10:30. But we made 3 of the 4 Sundays before Christmas :) But another "tradition" that seems to plague our house each holiday season is illness. Yesterday, Boop was sick which kept both me and daddy up most of the night. We were unable to go to church. Daddy did bring the girls though because they had their Sunday School Christmas party and I didn't want them to miss it. (One of the beauties of going to a smaller church where your children have been since birth - we can just drop them off and everyone knows them :) But our inability to go to church yesterday just kind of brought home the fact of how materialism has taken over the birth of Christ. I am not pointing fingers. It has happened in our house and it does every year. Even though every year I swear we are going to do things different and focus on the birth of Christ and salvation, the time gets away and the focus gets muddled. I get caught up in the gifts that need to be bought, worried that it has to be the perfect gift. The places we need to go, because we have done that every year. I focus on decorations and listen to Christmas music, buying and wrapping gifts. Some how the babe laying in a manger, who ultimately gave His life for my salvation gets set aside. Even with all the hubbub about Seasons Greeting vs Merry Christmas. Some how because I say "Merry Christmas" instead of the other, I have done my duty to acknowledge the "Reason for the Season." Every year I hope to make a birthday cake, to read the Luke story, to go to church on Christmas Eve. Something to show I know what this holiday is all about. Most years I do one of those things. This year I am pretty sure none of those things will get done. Oh, I know that none of those things reflects what or should I say Who I have in my heart. And, yes, I am hard on myself. But if I am not just a little introspective how or why does one change, make a difference, grow closer to God. I believe my kids know that Christmas isn't about Santa but it is hard when everything around us is focused on the jolly red guy. In the next couple of days I will make an effort to encourage a little more thought on the actual reason for the season . . .