ITS DECEMBER
That is reason enough to celebrate. December has always been a month to look forward to. The 31 days consist of multiple family birthday celebrations (hello, Jesus), smells that make me smile, and the excuse to slow down. However, the month is also a challenge. We are immersed in a culture that encourages exhausting routines during this season. There is pressure to gift perfectly. Pressure to meet expectations. Pressure to be as joyful as the family in the commercial is. But we often forget the reason this month is unique. Jesus's birth refutes every pressure and routine that we follow! He was born to take away the pressure that we feel to live perfectly.
My own challenge for this season (inspired by a redeemertogether.com advent sermon)
[give God my....heart, time, and checkbook]
Easy right? Gosh. My instinct is to go Christmas shopping when I have a free hour, rather than sit in prayer. Not so easy.
I believe in baby steps for this. Carve out some amount of time every day for prayer, do consistent heart checks to make sure I remember what this season is about, and do my best to give to those in need, and buy Christmas gifts that benefit a mission/charity.
A few sites to browse for gifts that give back: