all was calm, all was Bright

nathan and i finally had the opportunity to brave the stores(alone) and finish up(mostly) our Christmas shopping yesterday.

since giving gifts is my favorite, i have NO trouble seeking out treasures that i feel will best suit our loved ones and friends.  

money is always the issue.  always.

i would love to give SO much more materially, but that simply cannot happen and frankly, it's just not the point.

truthfully, i need to give more of my time and compassion to others, and they would probably appreciate that more than a gift card or any sweater that i think is just perfect.

it took a few minutes for us to get our brains aligned and really make some progress on our list.

does that happen to you?

in my frantic desire to provide someone with the perfect gift, i found myself entangled in the same lies that lead to the distractions that completely take my mind off of the Reason why we are doing this all anyway.

i get irritated with my poor hubby as he yawns and seems completely unstressed.
why isn't he stressed!?

then i get even more riled up over my assumption of his disinterest in it all, when, truthfully, he had it all right.

when i headed into target for the second time and heard jingle bells blasted for the millionth time, in the seventeenth version, it didn't take long for a still small Voice to ground my footing and become seriously grossed out by all of the commercialism that has completely overtaken the world.

i had fallen prey to it's lies and it made my heart hurt a little.  or a lot.

and then that Voice reminded me very clearly...

it wasn't like this that night.

it wasn't loud.

it wasn't flashy.

it didn't have glitter and music and a parade to make His presence known.

He was the Perfect Gift.

He still is.

all was calm.

all was Bright.

and as the Savior, our Rescuer, came into this world, He bore a burden so great.

it was us.

our sin.

so as i reassessed the day, and the hunting of the perfect gifts, the stressing over it all, i felt a great peace.

a peace that comes from the realization that Jesus broke the chains of death and sin for me, so that i don't have to be a slave to my sin anymore.

He has given me the victory.

forever and ever.  

amen.

but yet with the peace, came a very grave realization that not all have this Peace that i know.

my heart breaks for a nation that takes Christ out of Christmas and replaces it with meaningless nothingness.

even more reason for me to GO, tell and love.

and so i share this little vignette with you that is in my dining room.

a visual reminder of the Gift that was given to us over 2000 years ago.

the One that would forever change the course of this world.

One that can never get overplayed.

bear with me if i sound like a broken record over here.

He's just too good not to share.

xo, 

mary