Joy in the Presence, not the Preparing

My week last week to say the least was just a tad overwhelming. And the next week doesn’t look like it’s going to slow down one little bit. This is such a busy time of year. Between all the baking (that’s not quite happening the way I’d like), the shopping (that I’m totally behind on this year), the Christmas cards to be sent (which as of today aren’t), the staff and church dinners (that I’m on committee’s for) and my very full time job, it’s a little bit busy. Throw in a few basketball games and general taxi services to 3 kids, my life right now feels very complicated.

And then this month’s theme is joy. Oh boy. “ Lord what will I ever write about? I’m too busy to think of joy. Things need to get done, Lord.” On Sunday I went to church sort of wishing I was back home knocking a few things of the old to-do list. My eye was on the complicatedness (is that a word?) of celebrating this season of Christmas. Then the worship started. I sang the words, clapped in all the right places, but my mind and heart were still on the list. Then a song came that brought me up short and made me realize that my purpose at that moment was to worship my God. And I made a decision to set aside from my mind and heart all the things that needed doing and to focus on the Lord in worship. And as I let myself go in that worship, the Holy Spirit started to calm my mind and heart. I could feel the joy of the Lord start to rise up. My heart was convicted that I had not really spent any time with the one who’s birthday I was preparing for. I realized that I had focused on the wrong things. Joy was not in the busyness and preparing. Joy was in the prescence of God. Not that there was anything wrong in all the beautiful ways we celebrated Christmas. But I had made the wrong thing a priority. Was it any surprise that I felt overwhelmed and complicated.

Is my to-do list any shorter now because I had a “revelation”? No, it’s not. But I realize now what’s the point in having 6 varieties of cookies if my kid’s memories are going to be of a grumpy mom baking those cookies. Would it not be better to make less with a great memory of baking them with the kids & having the presence of God with us instead? What was the point in running to every party or gathering if it was making me crazy getting to it and once there all I could think of was the next thing I needed to do? Would it not be better if the Lord was invited into the places I had to go?

I’m looking at my to-do list as something that’s not set in stone now. If something doesn’t get crossed off, so be it. I want to look at the holiday with a mind being able to focus on the moment. To be able to ask the Lord to be present in the celebrations. This will take work on my part. And a decision of my part. But I want my kids to know the presence of the Lord & His joy in the midst of the preparations. The sound of laughter as we make the baking together. The sound of children’s voices in the Christmas concerts, the giggles as that one child realizes his voice is so much louder if he gets as close as he can to the mike. The wonder of the Christ child being Emmanuel, God with us. And translating that across to my children. I want them to know that their joy comes from being in God’s presence, not the amount of things they can get done before the 25th. I’m making a conscience decision to invite the Lord and His presence and joy into all I do for the rest of the season.

Lord, I come before you to ask forgiveness for letting the busyness of the season get ahead of spending time with you, for forgetting it’s all about you, this wonderful season called Christmas. I ask that you be present in all my family and I do this month. May we overflow with your joy as we invite you into all we are and do this Christmas. May we feel your presence so strongly that the joy that results would be a witness to your love.