Romans 15:13 – Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (HCSB)

The house is clean.  The presents are under the tree.  The groceries have been bought.  The recipes are waiting to be turned into dishes with wonderful tastes, scrumptious smells, and no calories (okay, that last one is just a Christmas wish!).  As I fix myself another cup of coffee and sit for just a minute, I can’t help but think about how You must feel as we celebrate the birth of Your only Son.  We run around shopping and cooking and shopping some more.  Checking, wrapping, and checking again to be sure we have gifts for everyone.  Are we ignoring the gift that You gave us?  We decorate the tree, decorate the table, decorate both inside and outside the house.  We cover everything, including ourselves, in items that sparkle and shine.  Are we shining Your light into a dark world?  We shop for weeks, sometimes months, to find the “perfect gift”.  We give hints and wish lists and try to hide our disappointment when we open the this-is-not-at-all-what-I-wanted gift.  Meanwhile, there are people who have no idea about Your perfect gift.  We can be so overwhelmed that we forget to be overjoyed.  We may be filled with wonder at how the decorative lights brighten a dark street but forget to be filled with wonder at how You have told us to be the light that brightens a dark world.  Lord, please help me not to get so caught up in the busyness of Christmas that I forget to find rest in being with You.  Help me to not get so caught up in the abundant gifts and food that I forget that You have given me abundant life through Christ.  Help me to not get so caught up in the celebrations of Christmas that I forget to celebrate Christ.