Last year at this time, with Christmas just on the way up the stairs to knock on the door, I was running in 'my woods' in Denmark talking with God about starting a blog.
It was one of those dialogues filled with "what ifs - I can't and I'm not", where each each doubt/argument was silenced with a "I am - just share what I give and don't ever compare yourself - be who I made you to be".
And so the adventure of this blog started.
I want to thank you all - you, who read what God puts on my heart.
Your comments and encouragements inspire me and spur me on, to keep sharing in hopes of putting a smile on your face and fill your heart with encouragement.
These past two months have been a mix of opposites; a sudden death of a dear friend, busy time in my jobs and the preparations before the arrival of my mom and daughter for Christmas.
I found my thoughts so jumbled and hit with an unusual inability to settle, finish and process thoughts and emotions. So if you wonder why I haven't posted anything - now you know.
This Christmas will be so very different - and I love it........... and I keep having to stop myself in my tracks, because - I get side tracked, caught up, and distracted.
This year Christmas will not be about all the fun secrets found, bought, wrapped and put under the tree....
there will be very few surprises under that tree.
As a matter of fact there will be very little under that tree this year. We are all good with that -
it's not what Christmas is about after all.
But..
Again and again I have wanted to find some fun secret thing to put under the tree - because there always has been.
I am caught up in the pure joy of seeing my mom
who suffered a stroke this past summer, had to cancel her planned trip here and is now making up for that),
and our daughter, who we haven't seen since last Christmas
- and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that joy what so ever.
We are all so very happy and thankful to be together!
- but that isn't what Christmas is about either now is it?
And there you have it - my distractions.
Surely I am not alone in this conundrum?
But this year I am being 'confronted' by it.
Now don't hear me saying that buying gifts and having a blast with that, or that looking forward to family gatherings with joy and impatience not to mention all the goodness that arrives at the table for dinner is wrong- it's not. It's all good things!!
I'm only saying, that in my heart I keep hearing 'it's not what it's about'.
Jesus!
That's who Christmas is about. (period)
-b
