Visions of a Different Christmas Dancing in My Head

I'd love to show you our Advent calendar for this year or a stack of Christmas books or a list of Christmas crafts to do, to tell you I have all of my Christmas shopping done and every decoration put up.

I'd love to tell you about the new recipes I'm going to try and the amazing feast I have planned for Christmas Day, or how I've organized our Advent readings and purchased new Christmas music.

But what I'd love to do just isn't happening.

It's December 1st, and we're recovering from sickness while trying to keep our school schedule going. I'm looking at piles that need to be purged, clutter that needs to be bagged up and carted away, an inflexible budget, and a sadness that's become my second skin.

This is a hard place to be when you love to celebrate as much as I do, when you're a lover of traditions and making this glorious time of year special in the most memorable of ways. Of course, the pressure doesn't just come from within. Every where I turn are wonderful suggestions for celebrating Christmas. And my heart is skillful at making these suggestions idols, of believing that if I'm not creating an endless string of special moments, my children won't grasp the beauty and awe of this season, won't grasp the wonder of His coming to save His people.

So, I'm fighting. Fighting to find contentment in what I can do, but even more so, in who He is and who I am in Him. Fighting to rejoice in what others CAN do. Fighting to love my Savior more than I love my plans and my traditions. Fighting to remember that small things done are better than big things planned.

These are notes to myself and any other Mom who finds herself too sick or too broke or too sad or simply overwhelmed to be able to do all she had hoped to this Christmas.

1) What they'll remember: Our joy in doing what we can and resting in His providence instead of murmuring or nursing guilt will leave a more powerful impression on our children than the fanciest Advent activities or the most expensive gifts.

2) Real Simple: Though keeping it simple is a mantra all over the internet, we often make keeping it simple quite complicated and expensive and glamorous. You don't have to bake a gourmet cookie recipe with 35 different ingredients. Make your favorite sugar cookie and decorate away. You don't have to create a snow village from paper cutouts that take 12 hours of preparation. Print out some coloring pages and color with your children.

3) Assault yourself with Truth. Post Scripture everywhere and words of encouragement to keep you focused.

4) Priorities. Make the reading and studying of His Word and time in prayer your priority and a priority for your family. What a great gift it is to live out the truth that these are eternal investments of our time, means of grace that keep us grounded and growing.

5) We're not Scrooges. Rejoice with others in their season of fatness. Don't let the hedges that surround you sour your view of the abundance in others' lives. Be happy for your friend who has all of her gifts purchased and who made the gingerbread house from scratch. Our limitations don't make that cute Pinterest project evil or gift-giving sinful, and we shouldn't malign traditions and celebrations to make ourselves feel better about what we can't do.

6) A Season Within the Season. Remember that what we can do comes in seasons. If next year finds you healthy, super-organized, able to lavish most abundantly gifts on your children, bake fancy desserts, and go special places, then thanks be to God! Delight in it! It is a wonderful gift! And remember to ask Him to keep you as much in your season of prosperity as you've begged Him to do in your season of leanness.

With love,
Trisha


**Better small things done than big things planned.
~Peter Marshall