A bit of this and that :)

Let's talk Christmas - shall we?

I love Christmas - the whole Christmas season - and I know just the reason :)

Besides the reason for the season - there's my mom. Have I told you how fantastic she is? I am sure that I have - well - anyway - she is super fantastic - and she LOVES Christmas!!!! And - I think either it's genetic, or she has nurtured my love for the season so much that it is just ingrained now ;)

When we were kids, she would start listening to Christmas music the day after Canadian Thanksgiving - ummm - that's in October folks..... Two and half months of Christmas music - two and half months of listening to and feeling the Christmas spirit :) I'm pretty sure decorations started going up in November sometime too - although I don't really remember :) So - when I got married and my hubs mentioned that Thanksgiving was his favorite holiday and that I couldn't listen to Christmas music until AFTER it - and not Canadian Thanksgiving either - AMERICAN Thanksgiving - well - I thought I might die :) I mean - even radio stations start playing Christmas music at the beginning of November ;) So - after about ten years of marriage we came to a compromise...... I can listen to Christmas music starting November 1st, as long as it isn't on around him until after Thanksgiving. I will say - by New Years, my kids (except for Brady - he could listen to Mickey Mouse, Elmo, and The Chipmunks Christmas albums all year long....) are pretty darn sick of Christmas music :) But me - I just love it!!! And - I am always sad when we quit listening....

I am sad when the Christmas music is gone, I am sad when everyone turns off and takes down their Christmas lights, I am sad when school starts and again and we go back to the chaos of regular life. Why is that?

I think it is because I have had two whole months of "light" - the "light" of Christ. Sure, there is always the hurry and scurry of picking the right Christmas gifts, getting the 'perfect' gift for each kid, teacher gifts, school parties, Christmas outfits, pictures, getting all the activities in from our 20 advent calendars (not putting out so many next year - they aren't nearly as fun or special with so many to do each night and so few kids at home ;) But - I love the music, the message, thinking about Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus, and all the others, and the light - everywhere you look, there is light - beautiful Christmas lights - from the tasteful to the tacky (and yes - I DO like the tacky blow up things that the hubs hates :) they just light up the streets, and the banish the darkness - like Christ's light.

Last night I looked outside, and the lights were gone :( I miss them :( The street, and the world just seem darker, and drearier without them :( I miss the light, the music, the message - we are back to the usual. And can I say - while I like a lot of it - Ke$ha and Katy Perry don't quite give the same message in their music ;) It rings a little hollow after my two months focusing on the Savior, family, and yes - the man in red :)

So - I am committing myself to KEEP the light this year. Even though the lights outside are gone, even though I'm back to listening about Teenage dreams (what a raunchy song.....) and who knows what else, I am going to focus on looking for and keeping the 'light' of Christ in my heart and in my life - all year long - because I know that His light can banish the darkness, and lighten my life and my world - all year long.......

Happy New Year!!!!!!