JOY Jinxers

You’ve made the list. You’ve checked it twice. It doesn’t matter who’s been naughty or nice. It’ll take a lot of wonky math to make your situation better than what it really is. Too much list … too much shopping … too many expectations and not much money in your budget.

You tell yourselves every year that starting in January THIS WILL BE THE YEAR we start that Christmas fund so we can have the kind of Christmas we’ve always dreamed of. That New Year’s resolution, like most resolutions, is doomed to failure — for the simple reason that life happens. We can’t expect that happily-ever-after perfect ending that’s guaranteed in the last 5-8 minutes of every single Hallmark Christmas movie. And we shouldn’t believe those emails from the Publisher’s Clearing House telling us they’re prepared to release those prized millions into our account.

Life rarely imitates art. The root canal you needed in April; the unplanned, but necessary surgery the dog needed in August; the busted transmission the truck needed last month; the Four Weddings and a Funeral that all necessitated gifts, flowers or appropriate attire that you never seem to have in the closet when you need it. (True story!)

The shopping. The decorating. The Christmas concerts and plays. The Secret Santa gift exchange. The cooking. The baking. The candlestick making. (Okay, maybe not that last one – but standing in a 30- minute line at Bath & Body Works for the super-cheap semi-annual candle sale, at the very least.)

All of these things combine to heap on extra stress, extra guilt and extra pressure during the holidays. You end up feeling like a failure because there’s simply no way to finance your fantasy or to get it all done in time for Christmas, so you’ve come to loathe December!

If only there was less consumerism and materialism at Christmastime and more pure and simple joy celebrating Jesus, as God intended.

Christmas trappings and wrappings, hurrying or scurrying and over-burdening our credit cards was never God’s idea. Christmas is supposed to be, JOY to the World because of the amazing present God gave us in a tiny little babe, tucked Away in a Manger on a long ago Silent Night. God’s one-size-fits-all gift was intended for us to give Glory to God in the Highest; to celebrate what true love is.

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Emphasis mine.) Luke 2:10-11 (NKJV)

Every year, right about this same time, I need these reminders that Christmas was … and is … and always will be about the most perfect gift of all – God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are In Christ remember the JOY and try to let go of the junk trying to steal it this Christmas!

Blessings in Christ for a JOYOUS and peaceful Christmas!
Kathy K.