The Crisis of Christmas

Photo credit via www.allvectors.com

 

Christmas is supposed to be a wonderful time of year, sprinkled with memory making, family togetherness, and meaningful experiences.

It’s SUPPOSED to be.

For this mama, the annual joy of Christmas is also mixed with stress, frustration, and much guilt-tripping as I make my way into the New Year.

You see, there is the KNOWLEDGE that Jesus is the reason for the season.  There is the REALIZATION that I shouldn’t sweat the small stuff.  There is even a major EFFORT to stay intently focused on the depth and beauty of the journey and the glory of God being encased in flesh so that I can know Him fully.

But there is also the stress of finances. There is the overwhelming amount of creative ideas on Pinterest – none of which I seem to be able to make happen. There are the bars of perfectionism, guilt, and discontent that I erect around myself that then form a jail of negative voices which handcuff the very joy and peace that should be within my reach.

Christmas…every year… is a crisis situation in my heart.

Even as my fingers move across the letters on my keyboard, I’m convicted of this reality and also clueless as to why this continues to happen to me, year after year.

I have printed out the FLYLady’s Holiday Control Journal.  I have a mother who flawlessly pulls off a beautiful home, tasty meals, and warm memories year after year. I have the internet which delivers blog after blog from women who love the season and display their take on merry-making for me to see and emulate.

So it’s not for a lack of knowledge that this person “perishes”.  It’s not for lack of example.  It’s not for lack of perfect planning tools.

It’s just a crisis.  That apparently happens to me over and over again.

This Crisis of Christmas…!

So this is not a blog post to tell you how to get it right.  This is not an encouraging letter written to tell all of the mommies, wives, daughters, sisters, or friends how to master the making of a great holiday.

This post is to tell you that you are not alone.

These words are to tell you that you may not EVER be Mrs. Claus (that would be my mother).

These words are to tell you that you should do YOUR best, whatever that “best” might be and then keep on movin’.

Your lights may still not be completely on the tree.

Your baked goods may still be an idea in the back of your head and not a reality available for the taking on your kitchen island.

Your Christmas gifts may not be hidden yet in the back of your closet.  In fact, the list of gift ideas for your loved ones may not yet even be written down.

But in the mayhem of the miraculous season, I want to share a secret with you.

You can find a key to unlock the cuffs, a crowbar to bend the rods around you, and a release to let hot air out of the balloon that seeks to float away, stealing your happiness.

Here it is.

It’s Him.

It’s the One who came.

In an utterly imperfect place, in an utterly imperfect family, in an utterly imperfect culture…

He came.

And He did what He did for an utterly imperfect YOU.

So if you are engulfed in the waves of emotion, thoughts, and feelings that I happen to be so well familiar with – don’t neglect to remember Him.

Light a candle… even if it isn’t a Christmas-scented one,

Play some Jesus-music… even if it isn’t the Christmas-centered kind,

Find a chair… even if isn’t decked out in décor fitted for the season,

And think about Him.

Think about what He did for YOU…

And take joy and peace in knowing that Jesus, the Son of God, has already delivered you from the REAL crisis of living forever without Him.

And by focusing on the fact that He has already taken care of the ultimate crisis, you will find that the crisis of the Christmas season – the crisis that, like me, you may be so very well familiar with…

You will find that it really isn’t that bad after all.

Photo credit via www.allvectors.com