The Not So Perfect Christmas

This morning I posted an Instagram picture displaying our numberless advent calendar and admitting that it may just stay that way this year. Yesterday morning's family activity was supposed to be Christmas pancake extravaganza and we missed it. We went to get our Christmas tree on Tuesday afternoon and we had our red Starbucks cups full of yummy coffee (as is our tradition when picking out our tree at Home Depot - yes, getting our tree from Home Depot also happens to be a tradition)! Instead of wandering through the tree aisles debating about multiple trees, I sat in the car with a sleeping Anna while Drew held trees up from the other side of the barrier.  I gave a thumbs up or a thumbs down to communicate which one was my favorite - this was not the sentimental tree shopping I had envisioned.

This morning I wrote in my prayer journal that my heart just cannot grasp the depth of this advent season and the celebration of Christ's birth. It's so easy to get distracted by the ups and downs of the holiday season.  The lack of money for that perfect Christmas present for your spouse, the child who just won't sit still for your family devotion, or the inability to see certain family members who you would love to spend the holiday with.  We all long for perfect and sentimental gatherings during the holidays, but the reality is that there might be disappointment because we live in a broken world. I heard a lady recently speak on this topic at a church event, and I was very encouraged.  We long for perfection because that is what we were created for.  It's right to long for those perfect holiday moments when everyone in your family gets along, and you find that awesome gift to bless your spouse with.  These things are good gifts from God. However, the reality of our broken world makes these longings a bit shattered at times.  The wonderful thing about this season of advent is we are celebrating Christ, the perfect one, who came to fix the brokenness!

My prayer this season is that as I face these disappointments (because they will come) that they will only point me more to Christ who came as a baby to heal this broken world.  Let these disappointing moments turn your eyes to our hope in Christ, and feel free to laugh and give yourself and your family grace when the Christmas dinner burns and your toddler pulls the tree over!


Lindsey