Merry, Merry Christmas

Happy Friday friends, and Merry (almost) Christmas!

I don’t have a big post planned for today since I know we’re all soaking up our family time and preparing our homes and our hearts for Christmas, but I just wanted to pop in and say hello and let you guys know that I hope your Christmas is absolutely magical.

Tomorrow the chaos of the holiday will fully descend on us, and we’ll be doing lots of cooking, playing games with family, opening presents, and basking in the joy of the holiday season. It can be really easy for me to get caught up in the fun and excitement of the day and really forget to slow down and focus on what this season truly means. I’m making a concerted effort today to really spend some time getting my heart and my head in the right mindset to celebrate this season for what it is meant to be, and not just for the presents and the fun.

My family always takes some time on Christmas Eve right before we exchange presents with one another to read the story of Christmas from the Bible. It always helps me take a moment to remember that we’re not celebrating presents or lights or Santa – we’re celebrating the birth of Christ. I know not everyone who reads here shares my beliefs surrounding this time of year, and that’s okay…but today I wanted to take a moment to share this scripture that my family reads each year, because it means so much to me and is such a fantastic representation of what this season is all about.

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world…And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” Luke 2:1-20

I hope the next few days are merry, bright, and full of love. Merry Christmas, friends!