December sort of crept up on me. After the Thanksgiving holiday, I ended up with a mild case of food poisoning. Not exactly the best post-holiday surprise. If you've ever had food poisoning, you'd know that it takes a very long time to recover. First you have the initial intense nauseated feeling. Thankfully that only lasted for a short time for me. Then there's the pain in the stomach and associated symptoms that I'll leave to your imagination. But once the really tough stuff passes, then there's the fatigue caused by the bacteria that has entered the blood stream.
I can remember walking around in the kitchen with my legs feeling like I was carrying ten pound weights on each leg; or like I had worked out for 15 hours. You're not exactly up to mopping the floors when you feel like your legs can't keep up with you. So, naturally, the housework and laundry pile up; and by the time you're able to do it without passing out after five minutes, you're up to your elbows in whites, towels, and 15 pairs of jeans to wash.
At this point, I'm feeling mostly like myself again, back to my usual routine. And it's a good thing, too. My cat Sophie was getting freaked out with Mom being in bed all day. Doesn't exactly make for an exciting feline experience.
So, back to December. Now that I've recovered, I'm still not feeling quite festive, even after shopping for Christmas gifts for family, which I have yet to wrap. I totally skipped sending out Christmas cards this year, a first for me in the 20 years I've been married.
I've been remembering all of those Christmases past when I'd know exactly what to get for my kids, and it would hit the spot every time. Without a list.
But now I have two teenagers. And lists: Music, music, and maybe a poster or two, or tons of clothes, which I can no longer generally pick out for them. I guess I'm feeling clueless, especially with my younger daughter. Our tastes, for the most part, are very different. With my oldest, it's a bit easier, since I know what she likes: anything with stars on it and hoodies. And soundtracks.
But the Christmas lists have gotten pretty boring. Nothing open ended. Just very specific stuff. NO IMAGINATION REQUIRED. I'm not saying that what they want isn't cool, at least for the most part (there are some things I just won't get. They know what they are.) But it's just not the same anymore. YAWN.
But I know Christmas is not just all about getting gifts. It's about love, and family, and remembering a certain birth of a certain Saviour. If everything else about Christmas was taken away except for that, I wouldn't miss anything else. My Saviour is enough; more than enough. If it weren't for Him, nothing else would matter. But with Him, all the colors of Christmas are just more colorful. With Him, the love is multi-dimensional. With Him, family takes on a whole new meaning, something eternal. And the eternal you can take with you.
So, put aside all the lists, and the holiday decor, and the shopping, and the wrapping.
Just Give Me Jesus.
Done Reading? Go Back!
