Taking Christmas in our stride!

This Christmas, there is so much to think about.  A busy year behind us, God doing so many amazing things in our lives.  There is a tendency to rush about, getting ready for this, getting ready for that.  Thinking about the family times we've had this past year, Joelle Bethany born into our family!  And remembering my Gran - we celebrated her life this year, such a precious time of thinking about her life at her memorial and all she added to ours.

Now, this Christmas, instead of getting lost in the shops searching around for the right gifts in a frenzy of shoppers and buzzing tills, I want to remain in the peace that Jesus brought, our Prince who brought peace into the world of our hearts.  I want to be a "Peaceful Christmas Person"!

Instead of spending a lot of time and money where time and money cannot really be spent, I want to slow right down and take in these beautiful summer days, stop and smell the flowers along the way, observe the details.  Live long in the moment, be present to the opportunities that God brings along our way, every day.

Keeping alive in my heart and mind the true meaning of our Saviour born into the world, getting ready to be born into so many hearts.  This Christmas, Jesus, be born in the hearts of our family and friends.  Be living and breathing and moving inside our spirits to bring us your thoughts about things.  We have the mind of Christ.  Thinking every thought you bring lifts us up into joy.  And JOY is what you came to bring us when you were born into our world.

You make everything beautiful in its time.  So let us stop rushing into the next season, searching for the things that will maybe make us happy, and rather receive everyday the gift you are, the most massive constantly new gift of our lives, an eternal gift at that.  Let us be your joy to our families and friends, remember and contemplate what you've done in our lives this past year.  And let us think with wonder about what you have in store for each day of the new year.  No matter what is going on around us, let us find and hold, let us meditate the thoughts you have, and be in the truth and Spirit of worship into 2013.