Day 144-CELEBRATE!!!

Hey guys!

     So, the holiday season can be VERY stressful, as we all know, but tonight at church, I was reminded of the REASON for Christmas. Coming into church, I was in a pretty terrible mood, it looked like another job opportunity was falling apart, I was stressed about the amount of gift making and wrapping I still have to do, and I was so homesick. This is the longest I've EVER gone without snow, and a part of me is still convinced, without snow, it's not Christmas. I am people sick for the family that we normally do holidays with, as long as I can remember, we've ALWAYS done Christmas eve, or Christmas Day, or sometimes both with the LaRusso's, and obviously, that's not going to happen this year. It still seems like it's October to me, it doesn't seem like it COULD be Christmas without snow, or without the bitter cold, or without the LaRusso's, and it just won't be the same! This was my mindset going in, I was disappointed about the job, bitter about still having warm weather, and bitter about NOT being at home with the LaRusso's for Christmas. But, as I pulled into the church parking lot, I saw the high schoolers I work with having a pizza party in someones car. They smiled when they saw me, and invited me over, and it made me feel so loved. As I walked into the church, I was basically attacked by the lovely Adrienne...because she hadn't seen me since this morning, now THAT is love! 

     We sat and watched the advent skits and plays, laughed at all the jokes and puns, and just enjoyed ourselves. The very last skit basically focused on all the stress, commercialism, business, and work that goes into the holiday of Christmas. We spend so much time worrying about all of these things that we somehow forget what Christmas is REALLY about! Christmas is a time of celebration, a time that we as Christians should be JOYFUL and HAPPY, not stressed and overtired! Without Jesus, there would be NO. CHRISTMAS. So, when we devote so much time and energy into making Christmas great that we forget what it's all about, then what's the point of making it great? When you get to that point, you need to sit down, relax, BREATHE, don't worry about those last few packages that didn't get wrapped, or how many place cards you haven't made for the family dinner, you need to just relax, and be HAPPY, rejoice, and CELEBRATE!

<3 Always,
Rose