Approaching Christmas

Approaching Christmas, I am counting down to my favorite things about this coming weekend.

Christmas at my parents’ house. Christmas with our own children and grandchildren. Christmas with some very good friends.  A movie tradition with my husband. We jump from place to place, eating, sharing and laughing. We treasure our moments together. We take silly pictures and share them on social media. We spend time doing nothing specific, except the most important thing of all- spending time.

Time has been on my mind a lot lately. We watch the clock so much we forget to live the moments. We have an abundance of time when we quit measuring in minutes and start paying attention to the experiences.  Even a couple of minutes catching up in a department store can mean a tremendous amount for someone on the receiving end. Taking a minute to listen is priceless. Making an extra phone call, reaching out with a card or even a text can let someone know you are thinking and praying for them at this moment. Time is short, and we need to embrace it.

This Christmas, how are you spending your time?

Do you find yourself with extra time, clicking through channels mindlessly?

Or do you find yourself overwhelmed because you overcommitted?

What does your planner look like this week?

Are there things you need to get done, or just things which keep you busy?

Making some things priority is essential. The ones I listed are traditions we keep on the calendar each year. Everything else is scheduled around our traditions. Time to stop and breathe together is so important for us. Hanging out in our pj’s, watching movies, eating junk food and playing games is the down time we need to re-boot. Doing these things with our people is a bonus.

The relaxation and laughter do my heart good. The continuous stream of people we love in the homes we have become accustomed to are soothing. The sweet children and pets and all their shenanigans bring a smile to my face. The replaying of favorite Christmas movies and music bring me joy. By keeping our traditions simple, we can enjoy this busy season so many others struggle with.

As we gear up for Christmas, let’s not forget to give God all the Glory. He has offered us his ultimate gift for redemption and grace. He allows us to unwrap this gift at our own pace, learning to love unconditionally and dole out mercy on others. We have the opportunity to share this gift in any way we want. Right now it means slowing down for a few days and soaking up some love.

Merry Christmas to you all.