Surviving the Preparation for Christmas.

Thanksgiving is over. That means the Christmas season pressure is on. As parents, the Christmas season often means time for lots of stress. The list of things to do to prepare for Christmas includes: Christmas gift shopping, Christmas lights to put up outside, the Christmas tree that needs to be purchased (unless you have an artificial tree) and put it up in the family room, the Christmas cookies to be made, the Christmas concerts to attend, the Christmas work parties to go to. The list goes on and on and on.

Besides all the things that need to be done and attended, there is also the emotions of being with family that we may not see eye to eye with, the sadness of missing those who have died who will not be with us this Christmas and the emotions that another year has gone by that we have not met our goals from the last year.

With all the joys of the Christmas season there can be a lot of stress, anxiety and sadness also. If we try to find all our joy and hope in the perfect gifts, the perfect family, the perfect house and the perfect food then we are going to come up disappointed.

BUT if we turn to the truth that the JOY TO THE WORLD has come at Christmas then our perspective can be changed. If we hold on to the one who will bring PEACE ON EARTH then we can find peace that is not dependent on our own doing but on the one who brings real peace. When we remember that THE LORD IS COME, THE SAVIOR REIGNS and that HE RULES THE WORLD WITH TRUTH AND GRACE, then it is not dependent on us making that truth and grace happen ourselves but we can rely on Him who is the true source of grace and truth.

As the famous Christmas song says: LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING. Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Whether America recognizes that or not all will face the King someday. I pray this Christmas season that we LET EVERY HEART PREPARE HIM ROOM. When we have room in our heart for Jesus, the Savior, then we will find true peace and joy.

May your Christmas this year not be filled with stress and anxiety but with peace and joy from the Savior, Jesus Christ, which we celebrate every Christmas. [Sign up for our monthly newsletter.]