It was a week before Christmas, and I just wasn't feeling the season this year.
Looking back, it's easy to see why. Our family hasn't all been well since October (and if you count our injury-laden year, May). While we were blessed the worst was my husband's week of bedrest due to bronchitis, illness of any level will take its toll.
My children were out of sorts and out of schedule. My daughter had just gotten a detention for missing five assignments that week. My son's birthday was looming, and I, finally getting my turn at being sick, was so disheartened looking at the house and all that was needed to be done before Christmas.
Instead of relishing all things about Advent and the Christmas season, as I normally do each year, I was feeling more and more like this:
"Help me get in the Christmas spirit," I asked my friends. And there, I learned I wasn't alone, but I got a few worldly tips to help perk me up.
- Seek the Three Kings... Jack Daniels, Jim Beam and Johnny Walker.
- Watch your favorite Christmas movie? Do something nice for someone else? These things always put me in a Christmasy mood.
- Give. Giving always puts me in the spirit. Even if it's giving smiles, or leaving 50c taped to the vending machine. It's the Christmas spirit.
- Bake cookies and see friends:)
"Help me get in the Christmas spirit," I asked my blogging community. And here I got the best advice of all.
...not all Christmases are created equal. I'm sure you know that. Christmas is a conglomeration of emotions and memories. Sometimes, circumstances get in the way of our enjoyment of the season.
Sometimes, we rely too heavily on old memories for that feeling of Christmas. Memories are wonderful, and sometimes, not so wonderful, but we can't rely on them to boost our spirit. I think the one thing that boosts my Christmas spirit (which was really sagging this year and not like me either but justified because of circumstances) is praise and thanksgiving. And doing something for someone else.
Thinking outward rather inward takes the focus off of us. And praise puts our focus on Jesus. To think He bowed down to earth and came in human form to give us grace, peace, love, forgiveness, salvation, and an eternal home with Him is an awesome thought. I pray the Lord will give you a special touch of His presence to arouse your Christmas spirit. Be blessed!Wishing you all a return to the Christmas spirit this week as well!
Dear Robbie,
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you and your family were sick. It is true only peace can give us back the right focus for life.
Wishing you well and thank you for stopping by!
Loved your idea for kids in hospitals .
I had a difficult time feeling really Christmas-y this year too. Not that I was feeling "bah humbug"--just that it came so quickly without snow, it didn't feel like it should be Christmas already! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas after all.
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