Shopping lists. Laundry. Christmas cards. Bills. Cookie Exchanges. Final Exams. Christmas Caroling. Picking up kids from college. Secret Santas. Mop the floor. Black Friday specials. Doctor’s appointments. Women’s Christmas Tea. Soup kitchen. Nativity programs. Homework. School programs.
But where does Jesus fit into our holiday rhythm?
Our December calendars are jam-packed with traditions and festivities, squeezed into already too full schedules. Survival requires finding an extra five hours a week to keep up with the commitments, and in the process maintain our sanity and sweetness. I don’t know about you, but I’m not that good! I can’t stop the clock!
When the schedule leaves no time to breathe or reflect, I become simply irritable. That, my friends, is not how I want to experience this holiday season. So, I’m going to do something entirely different. I’m going to put my eyes on the Lord. I’m going to focus on hearing Him, seeking Him, finding Him, and needing Him more than ever before.
It means I’m going to pass on some of the holiday commitments and put off some chores until January. I might not do Christmas cards and the stockings might be a little less full. Yes, my house might get a little bit dustier and the kids might need to pick through the clean laundry baskets for their clothes. Because I’m going to chose to slow down to make room for Jesus this Christmas.
I don’t want my inn to be so full that He gets turned away again.
Without our manager-child, there would be no Christmas. I can think of no better time to treasure the gifts I can never buy, 12 eternal gifts.
