Christmas Spirit

It's been nearly two weeks since my last post. Busy? Somewhat, but mostly frustrated. Frustrated by my crumby, slow dial-up internet as well as the Christmas preps I needed to get done yet continuing to procrastinate. Is there a cure for the malady of procrastination? Point me to it!

Anyway, I really used to LOVE Christmastime. The first Christmas tree we had together as a married couple was two-feet high, a little thing we picked up for under $5 only a few days before Christmas. We were poor college kids who wanted a tree for this first year of our marriage. One string of lights and a few ornaments adorned the poor thing, and we set it on an overnight case turned on its end so it could be seen in the front window of our little apartment. We were so thrilled to show it to my sister when she came over; I later learned that she went back to her dorm and cried for us because our little tree looked so pitiful to her!

I loved decorating our home when the kids were little. Of course, the decorations weren't much 'cause we couldn't afford much. My own anticipation of the day and the gifts was as great as that of our children. I loved being in the contata at church, Christmas caroling, buying and wrapping gifts, making cookies. Now the preps stress me out. What has made the difference?

As we sang the carols in church the other day I discovered that the Christmas "spirit" came flooding over me, and I felt surprised by it. There was still so much to do before the 24th, and I never have much energy for it these days. What was this sudden thrill about the holiday for which I was unprepared? Duh, Linda! It was the realization once again that the true Christmas spirit is knowing as my Savior the one who came to us as the babe in the manger in Bethlehem so long ago. THAT fact is what brings peace to my heart; that and knowing that my future is assured because of His great sacrifice. "Joy to the World!"

A postscript. The tree is up and decorated at last!