A Christmas Prayer

A Christmas Prayer by Robbie Iobst

Empty me, Lord, of
the idea of a perfect Christmas.
Fill me with 
accepting life as it comes.
Empty me, Lord, of
the pressure to have my home decorated like a Martha-Stewart-worthy Winter Wonderland,
Fill me with
the peace of simple beauty.
Empty me, Lord, of
the gluttony around Christmas sweets and treats.
Fill me with
glad-hearted moderation.
Empty me, Lord, of
the need to have my calendar full of holiday fun.
Fill me with
the desire to spend extra time with You.
Empty me, Lord, of
the temptation to spend more than I have on gifts.
Fill me with
the kindness of unpretentious thoughtfulness within my budget.
Empty me, Lord, of
the black hole of “gotta-get-It-done” that tries to swallow me in December.
Fill me with
the unending pool of Your peace each moment, each day.
Empty me, Lord, of
the tyranny that Christmas can become.
Fill me with
the wonderful joy of Your birthday party.
Amen.

What Do You Want for Christmas?

"What we really hunger for will not be found under the tree on Christmas morning. We hunger for meaning, for joy, for hope in the face of despair. We hunger to know that we can be forgiven and start anew after things we regret. We hunger for a love that will not let us go and for a life and triumph in the face of death. These come through a baby born in a stable, laid to sleep in a feeding trough, visited by night-shift shepherds. He is for us the bread of life. And we must come to the stable to satisfy the deepest desires of our hearts." ~ Adam Hamilton

Advent Thoughts

Today our Pastor talked about preparation for Advent leading to Christmas. My husband said that Christmas preparation brings happiness and that is what life is all about being happy. I said...no it's not all about being happy because there will always be things in our life that bring sadness or pain, BUT we can always walk in joy despite our situation. Then I took it to the next level...We should be living now (every day, not just in December as we prepare for Christmas) in JOY as we anticipate the second advent of Jesus. Our conversation continued, but to sum it all up...

We as Christians should be living everyday in joyful anticipation for the second coming of Jesus. Our whole life is an advent season. Live in Joy!