Christmas Perspective

This morning I woke up late (7:40) and my house was still quiet, which was a Christmas miracle. My kids never sleep in this late, especially not on Christmas. Yesterday must have worn them out. After our morning worship service, we want to lunch for Katelynn's birthday, had ice cream for dessert, made a birthday cake for Jesus and opened Christmas jammies. All this after 2 days of Christmas festivities. They were in bed normal time and then slept in.

Anyways before I actually got out of bed, I started praying. Most years Christmas is probably one of my least favorite days. I think my expectations for my kids are too high and I end up disappointed. I get mad when they are ungrateful or feel like I spend all day cleaning up while all they do is play. I know these are both normal, so I don't think it's them that's the issue but my perspective and expectations.

So I started praying early in hopes of changing my attitude. Of having a normal Christmas. One where I didn't take my disappointment out on my kids. I started intentionally thanking Jesus for coming to earth and praying he would help me find my joy and peace in him, especially on this day where I tend to expect others to satisfy me by being thankful or appreciative of all my work for them. So before I got my feet out of bed, I decided it was okay if they were ungrateful, okay if they didn't like their gifts, okay if they enjoyed their presents while I cleaned up. Because today I was focused on the real reason we celebrate Christmas.

And with God's strength I made it through, focused and filled with joy and peace rather than frustrated and angry. And just for the record they were grateful and helpful more than in previous years, or maybe I just noticed the good instead of the bad.

And it showed me one thing. Not that I am anything, but that if I start my day in his presence, setting my perspective on him, He will give me the strength to make it through victorious over my selfish and sinful tendencies. And he will help you too if you take the time to get his perspective rather than relying on your normal.