And the countdown begins…
Good morning to you, wherever you are…whatever you are doing…if you have taken time out of the final 24 hours of pre-Christmas Eve preparations; YOU are being prayed for RIGHT NOW!!!
I have noticed a trend in the blog/pinterest/internet/social media world this year…about being real, being un-perfect in your Christmas decorating, entertaining and such.
And while, I shudder to think what our competitive American DNA will do with making incompetence into our normal one-upmanship event…I have to say it it has been a comfort to know that I am ok just doing things the way they work for us..
One of my favorite quotes (and I know it was on InCourage, but have no idea who wrote it…sorry…) was basically – Your house is not going to look like your friends. Your Christmas morning isn’t going to be like anyone else’s. The gifts you buy, the way you wrap them, the food you make, the way you celebrate is going to be unique because you are unique.
And oh boy…am I unique….like this is what happens to all of our life that is strewn over the counters and tables of kitchen and dining room when anyone is coming….
This will get tucked in the laundry room to give the appearance of a neat and orderly home. That will last until the first guest arrives through the front door and deposits the innards of their car on the counters and table….and I won’t care in the very least…cause we love those bag toting, dog-loving, kid-bearing, shoe-wearing, suitcase-hauling people.
And these are the goodies we baked for our neighbors…
A tradition that began when the kids were little and driving me crazy on Christmas eve…Russ would load all the mini-breads in the wagon and take the kids around the neighborhood. Anybody that was home to answer the door got a treat…sorry for ya if you  happened to be away.
Not really the most diplomatic way to honor your neighbors, but hey! It worked and it’s still working for us. Now Russ and I just head out and ring doorbells til the goods are gone. Kind of like the lottery meets Christmas cheer.
Yes, the lights will be lit on tree and mantle and stairs for the next few days around the clock.
We will be eating from Buddy the Elf’s four main food groups….aplenty.
I will alternate between nostalgia and excitement and frustration and tears and laughter.
We will attend all 6 Christmas eve services because we found out our Sarah is playing her violin with the praise team.
I will be running to the grocery at least 3 more times and then send Russ for what I forgot.
We will attempt to make our adult children sit at the top of the stairs while the slowest one dillly-dallies with brushing teeth so they all come down together….this one may have to slide….
and Russ will read the Christmas story before we eat our monkey bread, egg casserole and whatever paleo/gluten free new traditional recipe I can come up with by Thursday!
I will think of a ton of things I meant to do and didn’t get to. I will cringe that I left the price tags on a couple of gifts. I will be exhausted because I was too excited to sleep. I will fret that we threw something important out when the neater among us gather up handfuls of discarded wrapping paper. And I will shake my head when it’s over and wonder how it went so fast.
I pray for you today:
God bless you in the midst of the preparations. God comfort your heart where it is tender. God ease the burdens of the things you carry in the quiet places of your heart. God bring you laughter and joy and peace in all you do <3