Christmas Spirit

I seem to be struggling to muster up some Christmas Spirit this year. Normally, I'm ready for Christmas (mentally) in the summer! I LOVE the Christmas season. I love getting my decorations out and have so much fun decorating the ENTIRE house. I love to put wreaths on every door and window and a Nativity Scene in every room (at least ONE and usually many!) I would put a tree up in every room if I could. The colors of Christmas bring excitement and joy to me. The smells of cookies baking and the visions of sugarplums dancing in my hand (yes, hand) on the way to my mouth... ahhhhh... what fun and anticipation!

Normally....

This year is different. I am missing the excitement and planning and anticipation. I know I have talked about it being the "in-law" Christmas this year. That could explain my lack of enthusiasm. But, I think it goes deeper than that.

I am finding that I'm stifled in my giving this year. It isn't that I don't WANT to give. I just am more limited this year than ever before. I want to give BIG things. I want to give LOTS of things. I want to bless exceedingly abundantly.

Different times and situations and circumstances are prohibiting my normal behavior.

BUT... it does not have to dampen my spirits. I can stop the depression and gloom and doom. I can remove the barriers emotionally.

I can make a choice. I can make a decision. I can look at things in a new way.

HOW????

This day, I choose to be thankful! I choose to be grateful! I choose to remove all expectations. I choose to enjoy what I have. I choose to see the wonder and excitement in the season. I choose to appreciate the simple things. I choose to look at what I HAVE and bask in the love that is showered on me daily by precious grandchildren.

The main thing I plan to do is to make sure that I keep Christ in Christmas this year. I will look at HIM and all that He has done for me. I will maintain an attitude of gratitude... The things of this world will grow strangely dim. They will rust and rot and ruin... but the things of eternal value will make it through the fire. They will be treasures not found in earthly vessels. I want to store up riches in heaven. That does not mean that I don't enjoy riches and treasures on earth and I am not crazy enough not to want them, too. But, it means that I place a higher value on eternal things.

As we all look at a different time in our lives and we resist the CHANGE that is being forced upon us through outside circumstances... may we embrace the One who never changes. May we realize that what we have is far more valuable than anything this ole earth can provide.

Blessings~