Preparing for Christmas

I know it is cliché to say this, but this year is flying by.  I cannot believe it is already December.  Only three weeks of school until Christmas break.  That little fact made it a little easier to get up and return to the real world this morning.

I set my alarm for five this morning because I had several things I needed to do before school.  I’m so used to waking up late that I convinced myself I was running late this morning.  I was rushing around revising my to do list because I knew there was no way I had time to accomplish everything I needed to accomplish.  As I was walking out the door I realized I still had an hour to spare.  Oops!! 

We pulled all of our Christmas décor out of the basement Saturday.  I separated branches into their respected piles and that is as far as we’ve gotten.  I wanted Andrew to help me, but he hasn’t felt well the past couple of days.  Yesterday I ended up laying on the couch watching Christmas movies on Lifetime all day.  It was a nice little break after all the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving.  I plan to crank up the Christmas music and finish the tree tonight.

I started an Advent Bible study yesterday that will lead up to Christmas day.  I really want to prepare my heart for Christmas this year.  I want to avoid the stress and commercialism of it all and focus on the true meaning.  The birth of Jesus was such a precious gift to us and I don’t want to forget that.  The Bible study is one of the plans in You Version.  If you don’t have that app you need to get it.  It’s wonderful.  The plan is called Rediscovering the Christmas Season.  I have read the Christmas story many times, but I’m praying God will show me something different this year.