A Letter To the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Dear Christmas,

You are, hands down, my favorite time of year. I realize, however, you are still eight weeks away from arriving, but I wanted to tell you that I am making preparations.

I have taken down the three things my kids wants for you, because, you see, they only get three gifts from us when you get here because that's what Baby Jesus got. We won't, however, be giving them gifts of the same value because we just can't afford the cost of those gifts given by very rich dudes, but you get the point.

Also, we are currently looking through the Gospel For Asia's gift catalog to pick out something for those who live in Asia that don't have near the ease of life that we do. I pray they are blessed.

I am, however, resiting the urge to get down all my decorations for you at this time. I already want to get the tree up, and the lights on the house, of course, which is the hubs job, because it just is. I think it would be a bit premature to decorate for your arrival at this time. Sorry. Until then, I have purchased candles that smell like either cookies or pine, but I don't light them at the same time because eww.

Something else we are going to do for you is help at The Tapestry Project with a Christmas Store. We will sell items to those who are under-resourced and help them have a wonderful time with you as we do.

But, above all this, what I pray is that as much as I love your arrival, I pray that I remember why you come around every year. Even if the rest of the world dresses you up in as a sweet tempered old man in a red suit with eight flying reindeer, I want to dress you in swaddling clothes and kneel in humility.

The rest of the world might smile with me at the wonder of the lights and laugh as we drink apple cider, and as much as I cherish those things, I want to make sure I never lose my wonder of The Light who came into the world and never stop drinking the Living Water from Him.

Dear, dear Christmas, I love the lights, snow, and even Santa, and I thank you for such wonderful things. But most of all, when I welcome you this year, I pray that you and I both never lose sight of the One who came to give us good news of great joy!

See you in a few weeks!

Natalie