Holiday Happiness

 I am a hopeless sentimentalist, folks.  The more ooey-gooey mushy, feel-good traditions, the better!  The more cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies and decorations and music, the happier I am.  Christmas truly is my favorite time of year and I eagerly await its arrival each season.  But all those high expectations sometimes cause more heartache than joy.  Because in the perfect dreams that play in my head, everything is just that...perfect.  There is no sickness, brokenness, quarreling or disappointments.  Everyone is happy and the holidays are just as special as they should be.  In my dreams, everyone walks around holding hands and merrily humming carols while dressed in  fuzzy scarves and cute decorated hats.  Families are always together and no one is ever missing from the family photo.  In my dreams, kids are loved and protected and mommies and daddies are hopelessly in love.  In my dreams, every person has a perfectly bronzed turkey on Thanksgiving day and they sit by the fire watching the Macy's parade all morning long.  In my dreams, Christmas still holds a beautiful mystery and everyone is enthralled in worshiping the King.  I would love it if these things were always true.  But in this broken world, its simply not the case.  So when things aren't as glamorous as I remember them being when I was five, there is much room for disappointment, sadness, and even...self pity. 

But you know what?  I have come to a slow realization: I celebrate Christmas because of Jesus.  I don't celebrate it because it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.  I don't celebrate because I love presents.  I don't celebrate because I just can't resist the urge to sing carols all day, everyday.  No.  I celebrate because Jesus Christ, my Savior and King came into this earth to be my ultimate Lover, Prince, King and Savior.  I celebrate because Jesus is real. I celebrate because I cannot help but worship my Jesus who gave mankind the most prized gift of all...Himself.

This is why we celebrate, dear ones.  Our celebration of Christmas is not based on outward circumstances, situations and changes.  It is based on Jesus Christ.  That is why we can always have a Merry Christmas.  No matter what the past year held and no matter what lies in the future.  No matter where in the world we find ourselves during the Season.  No matter who is and isn't able to be there.  No matter what painful circumstance have come about.  There is always a reason to celebrate with joy and excitement.  And that reason is Jesus Christ.  I find this revelation freeing and refreshing.

My perfect dream world might not be reality.  But Jesus is.  And that is worth celebrating.

Decorating for Christmas at Berry...on Halloween (I know, I know...)

 

Getting ready to cook the Thanksgiving Turkey

Thanksgiving Night at Walmart...we lasted 10 whole minutes

Family Trip to Gatlinburg.  Don't they look thrilled?

A real live Santa Clause!

My Adventures with Cake Pops

Trying out that new Christmas Gift, modeling clay with my niece Morgan

Visiting with sweet friends

Gingerbread cookies

A miniature Santy

A visit to South Dakota

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Hebrews  13:8