Today’s Christmas Eve. Are you ready?
This year has been
one of the most stressful holiday years for me in quite a while. I got sick the
day before Thanksgiving with laryngitis which robbed me of two weeks of sleep,
sent me into coughing-up-a-lung fits for three weeks, and put me so far behind
in my Christmas preparations that I’m not only stressed but worn out.
Normally, I’d do
something intricate like put up my Christmas village or set out my huge
nativity collection, lay the luminarias along the garden walls, and elaborately
decorate the big artificial Christmas tree. (I have enough ornaments to do at
least five different theme trees. Yes, I do go overboard a bit.) My decorating schedule takes a full week or
more. Then there is the big Christmas cookie bake—a tradition in our house that
takes my daughter and me about 7 hours to complete. The recipe is from Grandma
Maude whose cookie tin I inherited.
But as for the rest,
I scrimped. No big tree for us this year, in spite of the daughter’s plea for
family pictures in front of the tree, like we always do.
I bought all but 2
of my gifts online. I broke the shopping for family dinners into multiple short
trips, and when there was a motorized cart, I ignored my pride and rode the
cart to save me from aching knees and back pain. After all, I had too much to
do at home to waste my energy on pushing a grocery cart.
I’m ready now,
except for the baking the experimental loaf of zucchini bread I’d planned on
creating Sunday afternoon.
But Sunday morning
in worship service I was reminded of something that the commercial rush, and
the Christmas traditions I’d placed on myself, had pushed to the background.
Christmas isn’t about all the things I’ve mentioned.
Christmas is about God’s sacrifice. Christmas is about God’s love. Christmas is about Jesus.
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| Artwork by Catherine Castle (c) 2007 |
Christmas is about God’s gift.
Don’t get me wrong.
As a Christian I know what Christmas is about, but I let myself get so caught
up in preparations that the business took away from the joy of the season. Whether
I get the house perfectly spotless for guests and dazzling with twinkling
Christmas decorations, provide a table groaning under the weight of delicious
food, find the perfect gift for everyone, or be the impeccable hostess doesn’t
really matter. What does matter is that I acknowledge the reason for the season
and the perfect gift that was given to me, and to you—Jesus. The Lamb who takes
away our sins.
So if you’re not
quite ready for Christmas on this Christmas Eve, don’t worry. God is ready for
you. All you have to do is kneel before the manger, remember what He has done
for us, and accept his love. That’s the only thing that really matters this
Christmas season.
Merry Christmas
Everyone!
May the blessings of this Holy Season be yours, now and forever.
About the Author
Catherine Castle has
been writing all her life. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she
worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and
photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular
market. Besides writing, Catherine loves traveling with her husband, singing,
and attending theatre. In the winter she loves to quilt and has a lot of UFOs
(unfinished objects) in her sewing case. In the summer her favorite place to be
is in her garden. She’s passionate about gardening and even won a “Best
Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club.
Her debut inspiration romantic suspense, The Nun
and the Narc, from Soul Mate
Publishing was an ACFW Genesis Finalist, a 2014 EPIC finalist, and the winner
of the 2014 Beverly Hills Book Award and the 2014 RONE Award. Her newest book,
a romantic comedy with a touch of drama, entitled A
Groom For Mama, from Soul Mate Publishing, is a 2018 Raven Award winner
for contemporary romance. You can follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, Facebook or through her blog Romance for the
Ages
Merry Christmas everyone!
ReplyDeleteMery Christmas, Connies!
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