Whaddaya mean it's almost Christmas?!

Oh My! It's almost Christmas time!?!  Can you believe it?    I chuckled to myself yesterday while I was at the store and I watched the clerks frantically shelving this year's Christmas decor.  Of course, if you walk into the garden section at your local Walmart it already looks like a Winter Wonderland. Truthfully, I kind of enjoyed walking around seeing what this year's offerings would be for Christmas decor.  I'm always tempted to add something to my collection, but the truth is, I already have far more Christmas decor than I need. What is even more amazing to me though, is how fast the holidays come upon me every year.  Last I knew, we were just starting a new school year and now we are in the middle of fall and looking forward to Thanksgiving.  But Christmas?  I just finished getting my pumpkins placed everywhere!

Sometimes I long for the days of mystery and intrigue that I experienced as a child when the holidays came around.  September offered days that were still warm, yet offered cool evenings with hot cocoa and football games.  As October rolled around, the leaves were turning and there were piles of leaves to roll in and hot apple cider to sip on crisp mornings.  Halloween was as the end of the month, and though we didn't celebrate in a big way, we gave out candy and participated in trick-or-treating activities.   Watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and watching for Santa at the end of the parade was  a tradition in our house and not a year went by that we didn't faithfully have the parade on while Mom worked in the kitchen preparing the big meal.  As a child, it filled my mind with wonder and imagination and I knew that Christmas was coming soon.  Still though, back then no one talked or even knew about "Black Friday".  We had "After Thanksgiving Sales", but not everyone killed themselves or anyone else to get to the store.  We didn't even put up Christmas decorations until at least the 2nd week of December, or often the third week!

Christmas was my favorite time of year  It pretty much still is, but as I've gotten older and had a family of my own, I sometimes have found what many  in America have discovered---the "Oh no!  It's almost Christmas!" syndrome.  Now, I realize it's only October, but how many of us have already thought about what we are going to do for the holidays this year? Who will come over?  Will we travel?  Where will we spend the holiday this year? What will we eat?  But the biggest question of all is, "When did it become so complicated?"

Americans have overdone it.  Christians have overdone it and we have made what should be a joyous time of year---miserable.   It's all about getting the best present, raising money for charities, running to numerous parties and activities, decorating better than everyone else and buying as many gifts for as many people as we can possibly think of.  We overspend, overeat, and overindulge our children.  To make ourselves feel better, we add a smattering of  "Jesus is the Reason for the Season".  Yet in all of the busyness, we miss the reason that would truly satiate our souls.  We miss Him.  And in missing Him, our souls try to replace that emptiness with other.  Other things.  Other activities.  Other people.

And so what is the solution?  Simplify?  Say no to this or that?  Ban all decor and rich naughty food? Give more? Craft the perfect Christmas letter, or have the best Christmas card with the appropriate verses?

No.

The answer is always much more plain and visible than we realize.  We live our lives as though HE, King Jesus, is the most important person in our lives.  So we love more, and we spend more time. We sacrifice more and we stretch ourselves more, farther than we know how to stretch.  And we open up ourselves more...and let His light flood the weariness out of our hearts and remember Him. Rest my dear friends, in the JOY of the season!