(being) joyful!
Baking, cleaning the house, buying presents, wrapping presents, transporting or sending presents, crowds, kids home on break, big gatherings, working, picking Christmas Eve outfits, shopping, working with charities, traveling . . . .
Honestly, it gets to be a lot. My prayer is that focusing on God in the ways I’ve talked about over the last couple of weeks will bring some sanity and joy to your Christmas season. (See this post, if you’re not feeling joyful: (becoming) joyful.)
Today, though, I want to talk a little more about joy – and why our joy so important not just for us, but also for those around us.
Even those of us who are very joyful about Christ’s birth, seeing family, buying presents, etc., can find December overwhelming. I think this overwhelmed feeling is indicative of losing sight of the real point of all of this: Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. –Luke 2:11
This is good news of great joy! And if we’ve lost the joy, we’ve probably lost sight of this good news.
[An important caveat: As I said in the previous post about joy, I’m not talking here about people who are truly grieving. I’m not qualified to talk about what it’s like to go through a holiday season after the death of a loved one. So please know that I’m not saying that if you’re grieving this December, then you’re doing something wrong. I’m talking more, in this post, about those of us who often go through the typical activities of the season joylessly, without a clear reason and often without understanding why.]
With that caveat in mind, I’ll say it again: Jesus’s birth is good news of great joy! And if we’ve lost the joy, we’ve probably also lost sight of this good news.
In these moments of feeling overwhelmed, I’ve found it helpful to ask myself a question: In what way is my concern about this thing/situation celebrating the good news of Jesus’s birth?
This is an especially good question for things like deciding what the family will wear for Christmas Eve services. Is it honoring Jesus for all of us to go with a green color scheme? Or, instead, is it satisfying some need I have to present my family in a certain way? I’m not saying dressing up (coordinated or not) for Christmas Eve services is wrong. (I usually dress up, too.) I am saying, however, that if it starts to take much time or make me feel overwhelmed or make me less joyful, then I may need to walk away from it. Jesus will still be born if we wear jeans.
And it’s important to remember that what we’re concerned about regarding Christmas lets other people know what aspect of the season is important to us.
If we make a big fuss about what we wear to Christmas Eve service and get cranky with our families, what message does that give them (and other people) about Jesus’s birth? Probably that it’s a stuffy formal occasion, that pleasing God involves rules about clothes, and that Jesus’s birth makes people cranky and nervous.
I’d much rather people saw my celebration of Christmas and got the message that Christmas is about thanking God for and celebrating the arrival of the greatest gift of all time, that God cares more about our hearts than our clothes, and that Jesus’s birth makes people joyful!
What is your attitude telling people about Jesus’s birth?
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Previous Christmas Post — (becoming) more loving towards that annoying person you try to avoid
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(prayer) warrior (day after) wednesday :)
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Today we have some on-going requests — and some BIG praises!
1. First, is Henley. Please continue to pray that ALL the disease would leave her body. Big praise for Henley and her family: If things stay on schedule, then they’ll be able to be home for Christmas! This has been a major prayer for them, so to see it answered is wonderful! (Henley’s Website: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bravebee)
2. Please continue to pray for Rachel. Rachel is in her mid-30s has cancer in several areas. The situation has progressed to the point where they can’t give her any more treatments, so she’s been put on hospice care (the doctors estimate that she may live up to a month). Please pray for peace and comfort for Rachel, as she is concerned about leaving her husband and their 7-year-old son (who has autism). Please pray for her husband and son, too, during this incredibly difficult time. (We know God can perform miracles. Please pray one for this family.) Here is a link to Rachel’s CareCalendar: http://carecalendar.org; ID: 38500; Security code: donnyis6.
3. Please also pray for strength, healing, and a reduction of pain for my friend, Garland, who has been fighting bone cancer for almost 4 years now and has recently had some complications. He has been such a great example of someone who loves God, loves God’s Word, and loves others for so many people throughout his 70+ years. (Please also pray for his lovely wife, Pat.)
4. Update on Matthew‘s (age 12) heart surgery: The procedure went well and he’s doing well! Praise God! (They’ll be replacing the valve in June.)
5. Praise for my friend Erica and the good news on Emersyn! If you haven’t read Erica’s story, you can do so here: Erica’s website.
(becoming) more loving towards that annoying person you try to avoid
If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. –Proverbs 25:21 (and Romans 12:20a)
My tendency is to glide over these verses that reference enemies. I mean, I don’t have anyone I’d consider an enemy — and for that I am grateful. Enemy seems like such a strong word; I picture duels and sabotage. But, the word used here can also be passive and mean someone unloved or shunned.
In Proverbs the word translated “enemy” means to hate, be an enemy; to be unloved; to be hated, be shunned; to be an adversary, be a foe. “Hate” can be active, as an enemy or adversary; or be passive, as someone unloved or shunned.
I might have a couple of those types of people in my life….. Most of us have a few people who annoy us (some of you may be thinking, why, yes Brooke, we do) — people we avoid instead of seek out (even if we wouldn’t really call it shunning) because they talk too much or are too nosy or always need something or just rub us the wrong way. They aren’t active enemies, but they aren’t friends – and we certainly don’t love them.
I think, in some ways, these people can be more challenging than true enemies. At least if you love your true enemy you feel like you’re doing something. With these people, just being around them is a drain. You don’t feel like you’ve accomplished anything, and you leave more annoyed than you were before you talked to them.
This begs the question, then: Why do we feel more drained? If God tells us to love our enemies (in this case someone we don’t love or would prefer to avoid), and He tells us we can do all things through Him, why do we feel like we can’t? Most of the time it’s probably because we aren’t doing this through Him. We’re trying, in our own strength, to like these people (or at least tolerate them) and to meet their overwhelming needs. No wonder we feel drained. We’re trying to use our own strength to love like God!
Remember: While God did tell us that we can do all things through Him, he also told us that we can do nothing apart from Him (John 15:5). So, if we’re trying to meet the needs of people who annoy us, and we’re expecting this strength and goodness to come from within us, then we’re going to be terribly disappointed. We’re going to try to do something good, we’re going to feel drained afterwards (or angry that our gesture didn’t seem to do any good), and we’re going to wonder why we bother at all. We bother, of course, because God told us to. We just have to resist the urge to get our marching orders and then try to complete them. That isn’t what God had in mind. He wants to do this together.
So, today’s challenge: Think of someone you find annoying. (If you’re like me, you’ve had certain people in mind the whole time you read this – but remember, this is more about you and God than it is about the people you find annoying). Pray about how you might reach out to this person. Don’t try to think of this idea on your own, and don’t try to implement it on your own. God knows how to handle this situation far better than you do. Simply commit to seeking out an opportunity to connect in the way God suggests – and remember to let Him be involved in every step, including when you’re actually talking with this person.
Finally, get excited about this experience with God – try to see it as an adventure, not an inconvenience. G.K. Chesterton said: “An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered.” Rightly considered, letting God love someone supernaturally through us should be exciting. So let this adventure with God be a reason to look forward to seeing this person. What amazing thing might God do with your surrender in this situation?
Previous Christmas Post: (becoming) creative
Next Christmas Post: (being) joyful
Start of Christmas Series: (becoming) peaceful
Start of Wife Series: why won’t he . . . . ?
Start of Fully Submitted Series: (becoming) fully submitted
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(becoming) creative
I thought it would be interesting to share some of our favorite creative aspects of Christmas. Art projects, traditions, gifts you make, whatever. How do you express your creative side during the Christmas season.
Personally, I like making Christmas cards. I usually do this every other year. I love thinking about what verses I want to incorporate and how I want to make each card stand out. Here are some pictures from a few years ago and this year:
Some of this year's cards
Inside text
Another one of my favorite creative traditions is making gingerbread houses with my parents and brothers (and all of the family members we’ve added over the years!). My mom takes on the enormous task of making 12-15 gingerbread houses. This is a huge undertaking, as those of you who’ve baked that much gingerbread know. I made the gingerbread one year (only about 6 houses probably, as our family had not expanded too much) when mom had morning sickness and couldn’t do it. Even 6 houses was a lot of work!
One of the wonderful aspects of this creative activity is that kids of (almost) any age can do it. If they’re old enough to understand they can’t eat ALL the candy, then they’re old enough to do it. It’s so neat to see what the little ones come up with. And it’s been really amazing to watch my little (well, younger – not really “little”) brothers grow up each year. We started this before my youngest brother was born, so I’ve really gotten to see them go from “kid houses” (you know the ones: adorable, but usually little thought to the design – mostly a lot of their favorite candies stuck to the roof) to “adult houses” (while these vary WIDELY in quality, there’s usually a plan, some thought that goes into the whole design). It’s always neat to see the year they make that switch from kid to adult in the gingerbread world!
Below are some pictures of the insanity that descends on my parents’ house on gingerbread night.
Candy Island
Ready for the decorators!
Hard at work 
One of the more talented house decorators....
Various houses
My mom's gingerbread bakery
What happens if you leave your gingerbread house unattended.....
Please share your own pictures or links in the comment section below so we can all share in your creative Christmas experiences – and maybe find a few ideas to incorporate into our own families!
Previous Christmas Post: (becoming) ready for a Savior
Start of the Christmas Posts: (becoming) peaceful
Wife Posts: (becoming) a godly wife
Fully-submitted Posts: (becoming) fully submitted
To learn more about this blog, check out the first post or the About page.
(prayer) warrior wednesday
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Below are some prayer requests for this week. Please pray for God’s Will and for His Presence and Peace in these situations.
1. Please pray for Dawna’s friend. Here’s the information from Dawna’s comment last week: Dawna’s friend Rachel (mid-30s) has cancer in several areas. The situation has progressed to the point where they can’t give her any more treatments, so she’ll be put on hospice care (the doctors estimate that she may live up to a month). Please pray for peace and comfort for Rachel, as she is concerned about leaving her husband and their 7-year-old son (who has autism). Please pray for her husband and son, too, during this incredibly difficult time. (We know God can perform miracles. Please pray one for this family.)
Dawna: Does Rachel have a CaringBridge page (or something similar) where people might be able to leave words of comfort and encouragement for her and her family? If so, I’d love to post that information. Thanks!
2. Please continue to pray for healing for Henley as she begins this new round of treatments. Please pray also that the whole family would be able to be home together for Christmas. Here’s the link to Henley’s CaringBridge journal page: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bravebee/journal
3. Please also pray for strength, healing, and a reduction of pain for my friend, Garland, who has been fighting bone cancer for almost 4 years now and has recently had some complications. He has been such a great example of someone who loves God, loves God’s Word, and loves others for so many people throughout his 70+ years. (Please also pray for his lovely wife, Pat.)
4. Please pray for Matthew (12 years old) who will have heart surgery on the 20th. Please pray wisdom for the doctors and protection and peace for Matthew.
5. Praise for the season we’re in! How wonderful to spend time celebrating God’s saving love for us! I’m praying that each of you will feel His joy and presence over the next several weeks. It’s neat to know that even though as Christians we may have a lot of different personal traditions, we’re all celebrating the miracle of Christ’s birth!
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Please feel free to add your prayer requests below or email them to me at awomanforhim@gmail.com.
(becoming) ready for a Savior
Luke 1
The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.
8Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. 16Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous — to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
Before Jesus’s arrival, God sent John the Baptist to prepare us for Christ’s arrival on earth (could anything really prepare us for that?). God knew that the people had to get their hearts right before they would be receptive to the coming of their Savior – a Savior Who, it’s important to note, was not going to look or act the way they expected. John the Baptist had an important role: turning people back to God and preparing their hearts for the coming of Christ. Who prepared you for Christ’s arrival in your life? Who encouraged you to take those first steps of turning to God?
Oftentimes we quickly forget our spiritual heritage. And oftentimes we forget that we’re even on a journey! We tend to forget that this turning to God is something we have to do daily, hourly, each moment (Luke 9:23, for example). We have a shared Biblical history of amazing men and women who have implored us to turn our hearts back to God. Many of us also have histories of such people in our own lives. Who is someone who has encouraged you when you’ve strayed during your journey? Who has reminded you to turn to God and confess and rededicate yourself? Who has God used as a prophet to speak to you?
Today, please pray for this person who has significantly impacted your walk with Christ by reminding you to turn to Him and rely on His mercy. Pray for this person’s own walk with Christ and for God’s protection and encouragement of this person as she (or he) helps you and others in your walks. (You might also consider calling this person — or writing a card — to say “thank you.” My guess is that this person gives out a lot of encouragement, and would probably consider it a huge blessing to get some back — especially from someone she has encouraged in the past.)
And remember: God’s arrival on Earth didn’t look the way people expected. How do you expect God’s presence to look in your life? And how might those expectations hinder your experience of Him? What do you need to do to prepare your heart for Christmas this year? Do you need to repent of a sin? Offer forgiveness to someone? Rely on God, instead of yourself, for provision? Encourage someone else in his or her walk with God? How will you become ready for the arrival of your Savior?
Previous Christmas Post: (becoming) a good gift-giver
Start of the Christmas Posts: (becoming) peaceful
Wife Posts: (becoming) a godly wife
Fully-submitted Posts: (becoming) fully submitted
To learn more about this blog, check out the first post or the About page.
(becoming) a good gift-giver
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights. –James 1:17
Ah, the perfect gift. What we’re always after. That elusive perfect gift for each person on our list. When we find it (or think we do), there’s that initial excitement – that sort of ta-da! moment. That moment when, if we were in a movie, the edges of the screen would blur and a spotlight would shine on our treasure.
While our motivation for finding the perfect gift is usually love for the person for whom we’re shopping, I wonder if we sometimes miss the point of gift-giving. If our goal is to love the people on our lists, then it makes sense to consult the One Who loves them the most. Ideally, when we look at the people on our lists, we should ask: What would God give this person?
God’s main gift to us is His Son and His salvation. If the person on my list doesn’t have that, then that’s what God would want to give him/her. My question then becomes: how can my gift help with that mission?
If the person on my list does have the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, then my question becomes: what does God want to give believers? We’re told He came to give us life and give it to us abundantly. How could my gifts contribute to a more abundant life in Christ for this person?
By scanning the verses in which the word “gives” occurs, we can get an idea of some other things God gives us: light, encouragement, grace, freedom, strength, endurance, peace. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, it does give us an interesting starting point in picking out gifts. Consider ways to give these gifts that might be tangible or intangible.
Encouragement might come in the form of a Christian book that addresses a struggle your friend is having. But consider, too, a gift that keeps giving past Christmas. These are often much harder to follow through on (but we can do all things through Christ, right?), but are often incredibly meaningful. Perhaps you commit to sending your friend an encouraging or comforting note each month. That sort of persistent attention can show God’s love in a way that a single gift might never be able to.
I’d encourage you to make a list of those you have to buy for (if you’re like me, you already have this list). Those you don’t have gifts for yet, prayerfully consider what God would have you give them, and how. If all good and perfect gifts are from God, a good place to start when looking for “perfect” gifts is on His list of gifts!
Those you have gifts for already, prayerfully consider whether these gifts share God’s gifts with their recipients. If it not, how might you alter them so they do? Maybe this can be done with the addition of a Bible verse and note. You might, for instance, give a cookbook with Psalm 34:8 attached (“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him”). (Or you might embroider that verse on a kitchen towel, if you’re really ambitious). Something like this may act as a reminder of God’s bountiful provisions, and might encourage your friend to see her daily “chore” of cooking as a way to serve God and serve her family.
Again, all of this should be prayerfully considered. No one wants her gifts to be taken the wrong way or to sound like lectures. Gifts should not be heavy-handed sermons, but they should be expressions of God’s love.
Another option for gifts:
I imagine most of you have heard of Samaritan’s Purse. They do Operation Christmas Child and disaster relief at nearly every large-scale disaster (in the US and abroad), among many other things.
If you’re looking for a Christmas gift with eternal impacts, check out Samaritan’s Purse’s gift catalogue. You can purchase a sheep or goat or honeybees or a fruit tree (among other things) for a family. You can buy sports gear or blankets or milk. You can also teach a child how to read and write or feed a hungry baby for a week. So no matter whom you’re giving this gift in honor of, you’re likely to find something that will be significant to him or her. Here’s the catalogue: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/Giving/gift_catalog/
What is the most creative way you can think of to give someone one of the gifts on God’s list? Share your ideas in the comment section below.
Previous Christmas Post: (becoming) joyful
Next Christmas post (on Monday): (becoming) ready for a Savior
To read the fully submitted series, click here: (becoming) fully submitted
To read the wife series, click here:(becoming) a godly wife
To learn more about this blog, check out the About page or the first post.
(prayer) warrior wednesday
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Hi, all.
A couple of requests:
1. This first request is from a woman who emailed me this week. N would like prayers about her relationship with her in-laws. There are some events coming up in December that will test already strained relationships. N is trying to handle the situation as a Christian, but others are making this very difficult for her. N would like us to pray for peace, genuine love, joy (even when bitterness is easier), humility, softened hearts, and grace as she interacts with her husband’s family. Please also join me in thanking God that N has a husband who supports and loves her. Please pray for him as he navigates these difficult waters as well.
2. Please continue to pray for sweet Henley. She’s had weeks of nausea and vomiting and several days of tests with no clear answers. They’re hoping for answers and a plan from their team of doctors late this week or early next week. Here’s the latest on Henley: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bravebee/journal
Thanks, y’all, as always!
(becoming) joyful
We all know that we should be joyful during the Christmas season.
But what if you don’t always feel joyful?
[An important caveat: I’m not talking here about people who are truly grieving. I’m not qualified to talk about what it’s like to go through a holiday season after the death of a loved one. So please know that I’m not saying that if you’re grieving this December, then you’re doing something wrong. I do believe the Scriptures below offer joy (and peace and hope, etc.) even in the worst of circumstances, but I also know that the worst of circumstances can make that joy (etc.) hard to feel at times. I’m talking more, in this post, about those of us who often go through the typical activities of the season joylessly, without a clear reason and often without understanding why.]
Consider what your Christmas preparations and celebrations are focused on. We are bombarded from the time Halloween ends until the after-Christmas sales are over with images and commercials and people who try to get our focus off what actually matters.
Think about it: Even something seemingly innocent like Southern Living magazine (which I have a gift subscription to, and which I like) contains an overwhelming array of ways our houses need to be decorated and new foods we should prepare. After looking at some of the pictures of meticulously decorated dinner tables, our centerpiece of jars and lights might look a little pathetic. But: Does God want adorable place cards for everyone who comes to your house – or does He want you to be patient and kind and joyful?
And think about what our culture tells us matters in regards to gifts: More! Bigger! Newer! We’re going to look at how to be a good gift-giver on Friday, and I’ll invite you to consider rethinking what constitutes a “good” gift. I’ll say now that I love gifts. I like getting them. I like giving them. I like picking them out. I like wrapping them. I like opening them. I like watching people open them. I am in no way anti-gifts. It’s just that everything has to be put in its proper place – and gifts are one area that causes a lot of unnecessary stress for people.
Re-focusing our preparations and celebrations on what matters can make a big difference in our joy.
Consider what God says about joy and how we might use His Words of wisdom to feel more joyful:
Psalm 92:4-5:
4 For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD;
I sing for joy at the works of your hands.
5 How great are your works, O LORD,
how profound your thoughts!
Consider the work of God’s hands. Your husband, children, parents, siblings, friends. They’ve all been crafted by God. The snow, the birds, the Christmas trees. All crafted by God. The lights, the food, the decorations. All crafted by God. Whatever parts of Christmas we find joy in can help us find joy in God – because He created everything that brings us joy!
Proverbs 15:23:
23 A man finds joy in giving an apt reply—
and how good is a timely word!
We usually think of our words as a way to bring joy (or harm) to others. In this verse, though, we’re told that words affect the speaker, too. How might you use your words to lift someone else up AND increase your own joy? Who in your life could use a timely word?
Jeremiah 15:16
16 When your words came, I ate them;
they were my joy and my heart’s delight,
for I bear your name,
O LORD God Almighty.
Here we’re told that joy comes from eating the words of God. If you haven’t regularly been reading (and digesting) God’s Word, please start. I know it may not seem like it at first, but God’s Word is an amazing and never-ending source of joy.
Proverbs 19:7-9:
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure
and altogether righteous.
God’s commands give joy to our hearts. Which command might He be asking you to pay more attention to?
1 Peter 1:8-9:
8 Though you have not seen [Jesus], you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
We are filled with joy as we love and believe in Jesus. As we receive the salvation of our souls, we are filled with joy. When was the last time you spent some time thinking about what an amazing gift salvation is? It is the best and most important gift of the season. Have you shown others how grateful you are for this gift? Have you shown God?
3 John 1:3-4
3 It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
John is not speaking primarily of biological children here. He’s talking about people in his spiritual heritage. He finds joy in seeing others (especially those whom he’s influenced) live out their faith. Consider who in your life has faith that brings you joy.
Psalm 16:11 (and Acts 2:28):
11 You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Note that these are not necessarily temporal pleasures. These are eternal pleasures. They are far better, but they may not look like we expect them to. When looking for joy, remember to focus on the eternal. How has God brought you closer to Himself in a way that prepares you to spend eternity with Him? How has He helped you work on becoming holy, as He is holy?
John 10:10:
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
Jesus came to give us an abundant life. If we aren’t living that life, then we’ve allowed something/someone else to steal part of that life from us. What better time to allow God to take it back than during the celebration of His arrival!
John 4:10, 13-14:
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.” . . .
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinking this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give Him will never thirst. Indeed, that water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
If you don’t feel joyful, ask God to fill you. (Remember, joy is a fruit of the Spirit: Galatians 5:22-23.)
Romans 15:13:
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Joy (and peace) come from trusting in God. Is there something you’re not trusting Him with? Maybe some part of your holiday preparations or plans? What worries have you not let go of? I love this verse because we’re told that so many good things come from trusting in God: joy, peace, hope. I pray all these things for you for Christmas.
Ultimately, resting in and focusing on God is what restores our joy. How can God be a more present part of your Christmas preparations and celebrations? Please share your ideas in the comment section below!
Previous Christmas Post: (becoming) excited for the season
Next Christmas post (on Friday): (becoming) a good gift-giver
To read the fully submitted series, click here: (becoming) fully submitted
To read the wife series, click here:(becoming) a godly wife
To learn more about this blog, check out the About page or the first post.
(becoming) excited for the season
Around July, I start asking my husband if I can listen to Christmas music. He says no. [This comes as no surprise, since the rule for our family is no Christmas festivities before Thanksgiving.] I usually ask again in September. Again, no. I start humming songs in October. I get “the look.” In November, I hear a couple of notes of a theme song on TV that sound vaguely Christmas-y, and I belt out whatever song it almost sounded like.
November’s the worst for my Christmas music addiction. I totally understand why he doesn’t want Christmas music around until after Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving deserves our undivided attention. And this desire for Christmas music it doesn’t affect any other area of the Thanksgiving celebration. I don’t want to put our tree up until after Thanksgiving. I don’t want to put up lights early. I don’t actually want to skip Thanksgiving. I just want to listen to Christmas music! (And, by the way, kudos to Nordstrom’s for not putting up Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving!)
So, the long-awaited day finally arrived! The day after Thanksgiving! Christmas music! Decorations!
What tradition or activity of the Christmas season do you anxiously await each year? Please share in the comment section below!
The tree!
The Manger
One of my favorites on the tree
Another favorite
The best of my sad attempts at the types of cool close-up shots my brother can take....
The topper
Previous Christmas Post: (becoming) prepared for the season
Up next (on Monday): (becoming) joyful
To read the fully submitted series, click here: (becoming) fully submitted
To read the wife series, click here:(becoming) a godly wife
To learn more about this blog, check out the About page or the first post.
