Not a Hallmark Moment

One of my favorite holiday activities is riding around looking at Christmas lights.  In my postcard perfect expectations, the kids pile into the car with their PJs and hot cocoa.  They oooh and aaah over the different displays and we marvel at the imagination of its creators.  Christmas music is playing and harmony flows through-out the trip.

The reality is much different.  No one but Grammy and I want to see the Christmas lights.  Daddy doesn't want to drive; the boys do not want to go.  They would prefer to run around the house discussing how bored they are.  They don’t wear PJs, they don’t drink hot chocolate.  There is Christmas music playing, but you cannot hear it over their loud voices. 

So I much adjust my expectations and bribe them to go with football trading cards and a Christmas lights scavenger hunt.  I am content with us all being together and we do enjoy the lights.  Finally the scavenger hunt (aka competition) makes the boys participate and we have a moment of joy while watching a light display synchronized to Christmas music. 

Due to the craziness of the season, the flu and miscellaneous other things, I have struggled to find joy in the season.  I go through the motions of baking and parties and gift buying, but I am missing it somewhere.  This Christmas I will choose to be happy and not set expectations that cannot be met.  I will look for joy in the little moments, like watching a Christmas movie with my boys or seeing a great Christmas tree and finally I will remember the reason for the season isn't about lights or gifts or parties or cookies (I have enjoyed those).  The reason for the season is Christ.  As long as we keep that as our focus, the rest will fall into place.

Merry CHRISTmas!