Room at the Inn? I hope not.

"It's the moooost wonderful tiiime of the year..." Is it really? Well, it depends on how you look at it. Okay, right after Thanksgiving, people go nuts shopping. That to me just sets a tone of "crazy" right off the bat. For some reason, we think December means making more cookies than you normally make, making candy that you never make, attending too many parties-some of which you would ordinarily pass on, buying more than you normally buy, and filling up your calendar with all things "Christmas". Then we all sit back and wonder "why am I so cranky?" "Why don't these pants fit anymore?" "Where did all our money go?" "Who are all these people?" Yes, we all say that, and probably much more! Don't you think that's kind of opposite of what Christmas really was meant to mean? Am I the first to bring this up? Of course not, but why do we talk about the same thing year after year? Why don't we ever just "get it"? Why don't we say, forget all the cards, 86 the cookies, no more office parties, no more gift exchanges, I'm going to the manger for Christmas!! If you want to send me a card, send it to the manger address! I'm not wearing Spanx to the party! I'm wearing my barn clothes! Leave me and Jesus alone!" That's how I feel each December, as I participate (sometimes robotically) in all things "Christmas". But when I can create some peace, some room, some time, it's all about CHRISTmas, It's all about Jesus, and it's all about Him. Not the gifts, not the cookies, not the decorating, not the carols, not the shopping. And that's when I get it. Now, keeping it? That's up to me. And you. Merry Christmas to all.....and to all, a good time at that manger this year.