Christmas

Many times during this time of year I say, "I am not a Christmas person".

And...I'm not.

I can't seem to get Christmas cards out.  I can't seem to get any shopping done until 2 weeks before Christmas.  Then I'm rushing around trying to get the gifts- and not get the cards out- which makes me feel guilty and inadequate.

Sometimes, I wish I was a man.  Men- don't make out Christmas lists.  Or do the shopping for gifts.  Or write out cards- and actually send them.  Or get together with friends to figure out when we are all getting together- and what are we going to eat?  Now, don't get me wrong, Nick helps me.  He'll do mostly, whatever I ask to help me get through this but- the majority is up to- me (and all women).
Let's not forget all this has to be done while keeping UP with the laundry, housework, cooking (not only for our family but for all the parties and functions) and if you work outside of the home.  Or you homeschool.  Or....what's your "or"?

Then there is church functions- parties, plays, musicals.

If you have children in school- you have those parties, plays and musicals.

And then there are the family get-togethers, for both sides of the family.

Some of us live 300 miles away from our family- and travel home every Christmas day.  Then you feel as if you've cheated your own kids out of a Christmas at home.  My kids have NO idea what a "Christmas at home" is- we have only missed 2 Christmas's out of 22 not being on the road for 6 hours.  One, we were all sick with the flu.  We laid in bed and watched "George of the Jungle"- it was pleasant, although we were sick!  The second was in 2010, we ran into snow in Hendersonville and had to turn around.  Nick ended up sick with the stomach flu that day also.

But if you don't go you miss your family at "home".  I feel guilty- and inadequate.  Again.

So let's get back to the REAL reason for Christmas.  It's to celebrate Christ's birth.  And well, I guess I struggle with that too.  Oh, I believe He was born.  Certainly!  When was He born?  WE DON'T REALLY KNOW.  Some say September, some say April.

http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/25th.shtml

But we've- man, believers and unbelievers, have made it so much MORE than His birthday.  We give gifts because, "He is the gift given us, so we should give gifts to others"- and most American's go in debt.  Not just financial debt- but time debt ( I think I listed all that above- making lists, shopping, wrapping, cooking) and rest debt (how can we rest when we have all the other stuff to do?).

I really don't know when Jesus was born.  I do know we can probably pin the day of His death and resurrection and ascension before we could His birth.   We give Him ONE day as a church to worship, celebrate and thank Him for His death so that we can life- and His resurrection so we can have freedom- and His ascension so we know where He is and we are also!

After all these years, and all this stuff-  I can't honestly say I celebrate Christmas in December.    I CAN  honestly say I celebrate Christ- all of Him- daily.  The rest is just stuff I'm caught up in.  What I do enjoy is time with family and friends.  So, for me, that's what December is- time with family and friends.

I think it would freak some out to hear me say I used to enjoy Christmas before I became a believer.  Because as an unbeliever Christmas WAS all about giving gifts, making other people happy with gifts, getting gifts- that was the whole purpose of getting together with everyone- gifts, eating, some time together- it was all about fun for all of us.

Now, I love my Jesus so much- and He gets so left out- and I wonder what He even thinks about it all.

For 30 years of my life I celebrated a month of the year in anticipation of Santa bringing me something or me being the Santa giving to others.  Now for 15- I struggle with celebrating Jesus one month- His birth AND Santa.  And I feel empty.

When December 25th is over- I feel like, "OK- now we can get back to being real."

I wonder if anyone else is as weary of this as I am.