Countdown to Christmas

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.' So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. Luke 2:15-16 (NIV)

Christmas time.a wonderful time. Yet, so often it's a season of "hurrying". There's gifts to purchase, trees to decorate, cookies to bake, presents to wrap, cards to mail, company to get ready for, holiday meals to prepare, etc. The lists of things to do just seems endless. No matter how much we hurry, sometimes we feel like we're not accomplishing much on our never-ending "to do" list.

But the first Christmas was much simpler. It was not as complicated as Christmas is sometimes made to be today. Yes, the shepherds "hurried" to go see the newborn King, but it was a good and exciting time for them, not a stressful or anxious one.

How are you feeling as the countdown to Christmas begins? Are you feeling a little stressed or anxious instead of excited? I know I have been feeling overwhelmed with all of the preparations that still need to be done. So to help myself refocus my thoughts and calm my spirit, I recently stopped in the midst of all my hurriedness to write the following poem:

Countdown to Christmas
Only seven more days till the big Day arrives
Will we be ready? Will we survive?

Sometimes I wander as I look at my lists
Of things still to do and things I might have missed
But then I remembered it's not about me
It's not about presents or putting up the tree

It's all about Him - the newborn King
Born to die - what an unexpected thing
Yet that was God's plan for His Son He loves dear
And God loves us too! So I will rejoice and not fear

What gets done will get done; what doesn't, just won't
But all that's OK; I'm not going to mope
Instead I'll give thanks and do what I can
To make this year special, wonderful and grand!

For this is the day when we remember His birth
God as a babe came to the earth

No other gift could be better than this
So let's celebrate! Christmas Day will be bliss!
Thank You, Lord for Your wonderful Gift to us in Your Son, Jesus Christ. He is not just the reason for Christmas, but the reason for everything! May we truly honorYou this Christmas and every day of the year.

Beth Wehr