Advent and Our Own Inconveniences

It is a beautiful December day here in North Dakota. Fresh snow from this weekend layers the ground while frost covers the trees. It is a picture straight out of a North Dakota winter calendar. I love the peacefulness this time of the year brings upon the land. But then something happens and I am shaken back into my reality. This morning, I woke up to a cold sore. Now don’t get me wrong, there are worse things than cold sores, but I always seem to get one this time of the year which just annoys me and makes me extremely self conscious.

I want to hide away from the world and not show my face until that ugly cold sore has disappeared. And, of course, this week I am helping with the women’s Christmas party on Thursday and preaching this weekend. So this morning, I quickly texted my friend Chris who loves her essential oils and asked her if she would recommend an essential oil to help my cold sore disappear more quickly. She had some recommendations and borrowed them to me. So at lunch time, I ran over and grabbed them from her office. Time will tell if they will do the trick! 🙂

I don’t know about you, but I can so easily let these little inconveniences get in the way of who God has called me to be. God has created each and everyone of us as “fearfully and wonderfully made.” God loved us so much that God sent God’s one and only son into the world for each and every one of us.

I can so easily get sidetracked by how I look, but it’s really about what is on the inside, isn’t it? I think of the movie The Grinch Who Stole Christmas where we hear “It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes, and bows.” Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before…”Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…he thought…means a little bit more.” And yes, my friends, that is the true…Christmas isn’t bought in a store. Christmas is so much more!

Christmas is about spreading Christmas cheer to those who cannot afford their own packages. Christmas is about spending time with those that we love….or perhaps spending this Christmas without that special someone and yet knowing we are not alone. Christmas is about trusting in our God who sends God’s son; the promise Messiah as this precious infant boy born in a stable in Bethlehem. Have you ever thought about that? The stable wasn’t the cleanest place in the world. In fact, it was probably pretty dirty and didn’t emit the nicest odor. And perhaps it wasn’t such a silent night after all?

My prayer is that we can remember what this season is truly about…not to get hung up on our own inconveniences which in the grand scheme of things are actually pretty petty…but rather to listen for the cry of this babe born in the stable in Bethlehem and hear the words as the angels and so many proclaim “Glory to God in the highest and peace to those whom he favors” Amen!

I am linking up with Holly at Testimony Tuesday and Kelly at the RaRa Linkup:


 

4 thoughts on “Advent and Our Own Inconveniences

  1. Amen!!! Christmas is so much more! I developed a weird rash on my face which I went to the doctor for yesterday. My son gets married in less than two weeks. My first thought was-NO!!! I can't have a rash on my face because of the pictures! How is that for focusing on all the wrong things??? God has already been teaching me a lesson around my vanity. Good to see you friend! Hope you are hanging in there!

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