When the Bough Breaks

For almost a decade I've been decorating two Christmas trees. Like the DoubleMint Gum ads, it's double the pleasure and double the fun. Something happened to my trees over the summer though. They went into the attic in the prime of life and emerged senior citizens.

One had a major bough malfunction - snapped at the neck as it were. There was no redemption; He was put out to pasture after almost 20 faithful years of service. The other had a major wardrobe malfunction - about half of his prelit lights burned out requiring him to be strung with new lights. 

If I had penned my perfect Christmas, that definitely would not be the first chapter. In fact, I started decorating at Thanksgiving and still have boxes cluttering my family room. It's feels like a broken Christmas.

I've had broken Christmases before. Some due to tragedy but most due to expectations that register a 10 on the unrealistic scale. Even though my Christmas is off to a broken start, I don't have to let it break me.

When the bough of your Christmas, starts to break...

Focus on the light - As a child I would sit and look at the Christmas tree for hours. I was mesmerized by the way the lights danced around the room. Things in my life looked different - more magical - under the tree. The same is true of Jesus' light. When I get in His presence, my life looks different - less stressful and more manageable - in His arms.

Let go - Ornaments are precious to me. They represent history, memories and little pieces of my heart. But every year some are broken by my children. The first time this happened my breath twisted around my heart...and then I let it go. I decided my kids were more precious than the bobbles they broke. When we let go of our expectations, we grasp peace.

I pray everything goes according to plan for Christmas celebration this year but if it doesn't don't let the bough break you.

What unrealistic expectation do you need to let go of this Christmas?

When My Heart Finds Christmas

Behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 

“Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? 

For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Matthew 2:1-2 (ESV)

I'm one of those people.

I sometimes buy my kids Christmas Eve pajamas on sale in January.
I'm on the prowl for stocking stuffers in March.
I search for bargains any month that will have me.

I have a Christmas app on my phone so there's rarely a time when I'm not planning, shopping or tracking my Christmas purchases. Besides Christmas, we have four family birthdays spaced out at two week increments around the holidays so the majority of our gift giving expense hits in a relatively short period of time. My strategy to compensate is to purchase gifts all year long.

I'm constantly on the hunt for that unique item my kids won't expect.
I'm consistently on the lookout for something that will really bless my hubby.
I look for Christmas all year long.

When I was in college, I was completely smitten with Harry Connick, Jr. and his smooth crooner's voice. I saw him in concert multiple times. I purchased every album he put out but my most cherished were his Christmas tunes. My favorite, When My Heart Finds Christmas, declares his shared love for the holiday. He's looking for Christmas and finds it in his love. 

I look for Christmas all year long but I don't really find it until I, like the wise men, look for Jesus. When my heart finds Christmas, my heart finds LOVE.

Have you been on the hunt for a special gift this season? Why not give yourself a gift by looking for Him?
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In case you've never sampled the delight, here's the video to Harry Connick Jr.'s When My Heart Finds Christmas. At the time, I wished he would look for me. He found a Victoria Secrets model instead!

Christmas, Come Early

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: 

The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, 

and will call him Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

Christmas comes earlier every year. This year we noticed our seasonal snack cakes were traded out before the end of October, completing bypassing the fall holidays. I hear lots of people complain about this fact with lots of mention of commercialism and materialism.

I choose to view Christmas' early arrival through another lens. Might it be because it is the second most significant event in all human history? Doesn't something of this magnitude deserve as much air time as possible?

Could the crowds at the store remind us of the significance we worship?

Should the endless decorations nudge us to wrap our lives up in Him?

Do the packages and bows encourage me to give Him the very biggest of my gifts?

I want Christmas to come early and often to my heart. I want to celebrate the One who came as a baby and lived every one of His 12000 days with one goal in mind - to spread His arms wide with the miracle of redemption.

How would your November look different if you let Jesus come early to your heart this year?

Finally!

Sweet Friends, I am delighted to continue my series of December guest posts with some inspiring words from my dear friend, Carey Scott. Carey encourages the deepest places of my heart. She has a way of tenderly peeling back the layers of my heart to allow God deeper inside. I can't wait for you to take this journey with me as Carey shares with us her perspective on the prophetess Anna who witnessed Jesus' dedication at the temple when He was just days old.


by Carey Scott

“There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. 
She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 
and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. 
She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
Coming up to them at that very moment,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”
(Luke 2:36-38)

Finally!

I’ve held hope in my heart for so long and now I get to see – face to face – the Christ. 

The Messiah. 

He is here… right in front of me.

And I knew it was the promised child the moment I laid my eyes on Him.

That beautiful face. Those tiny fingers. The cooing noises gently escaping his mouth.

A limitless God coming to earth in human form to experience the confines of flesh. The Great I AM stepping out of the perfect Heaven into a sinless world… with the goal to save the world.

I am so humbled to be among the first to bear witness to this miracle child. 

With great thanks, I praise the Father for Jesus.

God is so faithful.

While my 84 year old body is giving up and deteriorating, the fulfilled promise of this baby brings a much-needed rejuvenation to my weary bones. I feel an excitement for this long-awaited answered prayer.

Finally… our deliverer has come!

Some may doubt me because I am a woman and not seen as a credible source… some may not believe me because I’m proclaiming that our Messiah has come as a poor peasant child… but nothing will stop me from sharing this exciting news with all the faithful believers that cross my path.

I will to shout to the world that the Redeemer of Israel has come at last!

And now I pass that blessed task on to you. 

It’s your turn to remind others about Jesus.

It’s your turn to celebrate His birth rather than go about business as usual.

It’s your turn to share the miracle and reveal Christ to an unbelieving world.

My friends, don’t be intimidated to speak out.  Be bold in your remembrance!  We should observe Christmas with gusto! 

Because it’s no ordinary birth we are celebrating. 

Joy to the world… the Lord HAS come!

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An inspirational speaker and writer, Carey is honest about her life journey…stumbles, fumbles and all. Her goal is to challenge others to be real and authentic and she does this through her blog titled “Let’s Get Real”.  She’s a little in your face, always honest and relentless in prodding you to stop living a life of comfort and instead get on the battlefield. 

Carey gets authentic with moms every Wednesday on Moms Together where she serves as a moderator and panelist. She also leads women through her position of speaker and writer for the LeadHer organization.You can connect with Carey online through Twitter and Facebook.  She is a happily married mom of two living in Colorado.