Somehow, I'm way behind on all my usual Christmas activities. This may surprise you, but the mantel isn't decorated, I haven't located the stockings yet, and there are boxes of ornaments that haven't been opened, much less put on the tree. When the day started, not one present was wrapped. They were piled up on the guest bedroom bed, on the floor beside the bed, and still in bags at the foot of the bed.
It took hours, but all the gifts were finally wrapped and under the tree. You would think I'd be delighted, but in the midst of all that wrapping, there were tons of other household chores to do. When I finally finished with everything, I was exhausted and collapsed into my chair for a few minutes of rest. "Lord," I said, "I'm already sick of Christmas! You need to change my attitude!" (I know you've felt that way before, too!). That Still Small Voice did not have a thing to say. Silent agreement, I guess.
At supper time, I lit the Advent candles and opened my Advent devotional book, as usual. I was reading day 34, and the topic was the shepherds on the way back from Bethlehem. They were so excited about finding Jesus that they could not contain their joy! They were telling everyone. This is what I read:
" Perhaps you, too, once felt that great joy over finding your Savior. Are you still bubbling over with the joy of meeting your Savior? If not, ask God to restore the joy of your salvation so that you can share with the enthusiasm of the shepherds."
Those words were written months ago, but tonight they were as fresh as the day I first wrote them. I laughed out loud at how God had worked. Months before, he had given me exactly what I needed for today, then orchestrated my reading so that I would see those very words. Isn't that amazing? That's not all. He had used those words to instantly change my attitude and answer the prayer from earlier in the day!
Sick of Christmas? How could I be sick of the most wonderful Gift ever given? Sick of Christmas? Hardly. I'm just getting started!
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