December 6, 2009
Dear Jesus:
This has been another busy week. I guess it's typical for the month of December, but this year, I'm on a roll.
Last Sunday, we bought the Christmas tree but I didn't get around to start decorating it until Thursday night. Between work, Bible class, doctors’ appointments and Alex’s activities, I was busy every single day and night.
On Thursday, I was going to go to the Emmaus meeting, but I decided that my plate was already too full. I stayed home instead decorating the Christmas tree. I played Christmas music. I baked cookies. And I got into the spirit of Christmas. It would be nice if the whole family got involved in the decorating, but I gave up on this idea a long time ago. At least, Chabeli showed happiness when she walked in, and she smelled the cookies, heard the music, and saw the lights on the tree. We all had dinner together that night. I'm thankful for that blessing.
Life is busy, but all is fine in my little corner of the world.
I love You, Jesus!!!
December 6, 2017
Dear Jesus:
Life continues to be busy, but this Advent, I have made the commitment not to allow the usual December craziness to overwhelm me. I will do what I can, even if it takes me all month.
Sometimes, we hurry so much to get everything done, that Christmas crawls upon us and we don’t even notice. This year, I will slow down. I will savor everything I do. If I’m not enjoying it, then I might as well not do it.
I have a friend that has decided not to buy a Christmas tree this year. For her, putting up a tree is more work than pleasure. She has decided that if she doesn’t enjoy it, why go through the trouble? Yet, she loves to send out Christmas cards. Instead of spending the weekend decorating the Christmas tree, she spent her weekend writing Christmas cards.
For me, it’s the exact opposite. I gave up sending Christmas cards years ago. But I love decorating my house. So even though the Christmas tree sat empty in my living room for eight days, this past Sunday, I searched deep inside for the joy within me, and I began to stream the lights on the tree. I asked “Alexa” to play Christmas music, and while the hubby cooked some delicious black beans which made the house smell like “Nochebuena,” I waltzed around the tree making it merry and bright.
When Chabeli arrived two hours later, she asked: “Are we having a party?” And I realized that indeed we were having a party. We were celebrating the beginning of Advent. Christmas is not just one day, it’s an entire season. If we have the right attitude, everything that we do whether is decorating, wrapping gifts or writing Christmas cards, it will help to prepare our hearts for Your Birthday, Jesus.
So even if our calendars are crammed with Christmas parties, even if we still have to buy more than half the gifts on our list, even if we haven’t even started decorating, or we have fifty gifts to wrap, we can find You, Jesus, in our midst. We just need to slow down, and drop the things that make us frantic from our “to-do” list. If we put on the right attitude, we can turn the Christmas preparations into holy moments that will help to prepare the manger within our hearts so that You, Baby Jesus, can be born within us once again on Christmas Day.
I love You, Jesus!!!
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