The "daze" before Christmas....

This week....I think I have been busy with 12 things to do each day for Christmas. So, instead of boring you with my daily lists, I thought I would share my 12 FAVORITE things about Christmas instead! =)

12) Buying, Making, and Wrapping gifts for people.
11) Listening To Christmas Music
10) Baking Christmas Cookies and Candies
9) Decorating The Christmas Tree
8) Holiday Get-Togethers
7) Recieving things in the Mail from family and friends
6) Making a gingerbread house with my little guy
5) Caroling
4) Watching Christmas Re-runs on TV with my family
3) Opening gifts on Christmas Morning and Watching Cade Open His
2) Reading The Christmas Story
1) Jesus

I love everything about Christmas. I do notice, however, that it seems like each year there are more and more distractions taking me away from these things that I love, and I often spend the 12 Days of Christmas in sheer panic...hoping I have crossed every item off the list, pulled the cookies out in time, remembered everyone on my Christmas Card List, wrote the correct name on each gift, more importantly- did I buy a gift for everyone I was supposed to, and the list goes on. Do you see the distraction?

So, this year I have decided to stop each day and focus on things that really matter. I am not talking about focusing for hours- just 15 minutes or so. (My OCD-self couldn't handle it...)

-Focus past the cockroach I found in my lunch at a resturant this week.
- past the little boy who spilled chocolate milk (again) down his pants and decides to wear his pants tucked into his socks for his new "look".
- past the bad hair days.
- past the family dysfunction
- past the busy schedules/appointments

And focus on Jesus.

This week Cade asked Jesus to come into his heart. He said he prayed during the reading of the Christmas Story. I love the honesty that is displayed in a child. It was during that conversation that I determined to do things differently and focus, really focus on the reason for Christmas. With this thought in mind....I will leave you with these verses:

"Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

Luke 2:8-14