Put My Heart Right

 It's been a challenge to "plan" Christmas this year: One adult child can't be here until almost Christmas Day; Another adult child has to leave early on Christmas Day; A grandparent is too ill to shop for an almost-six-year-old (who will feel rejected without a gift, despite our attempts to make her understand); A set of grandparents have plans on Christmas Day; Opening gifts late on Christmas Eve sets the stage for a wee one's too-tired meltdown..

I awoke early this morning with all of these thoughts running through my head, and I prayed, "God!  Please put my heart in the right place about all this. Help me to be peaceful in the midst..."


And God's answer was crystal clear and immediate: Put your heart on the Christ Child.

Oops.

Here I am trying to find the right time to celebrate Christmas, to open gifts together, to keep a child from getting too tired to enjoy the process, and that's not what Christmas is. Christmas is the coming of the Christ Child.

Christmas is
the coming of
Emmanuel.

God WITH us.

Almighty God Himself
choosing
to become a
helpless human
in order to rescue us all from our small-hearted sinfulness.

When I focus on that, I feel no frustration, irritation, or worry. I feel blessed.

Father, help me to remember to put my heart on the Christ Child this Christmas.
Amen.