Thinking About The Rush

Only a few days left to buy those gifts! The stores will bark the ads on the radio and in the newspapers. Oh and don’t’ forget the television ads. Now they just have to add to the anxiety of the consumer who still needs to find a few things on their list.  Just can’t have them not walk in the store empty handed. Or worse, just not shop at all. Oh wait a minute, there are the constant emails that clog the inboxes telling me that I am running out of time, and this is it, no more chances. Oh dear what to do.

To be honest, I don’t like crowds and I am not a fan of the hottest item of the moment. True there are some cool things out there, but to be honest, I don’t feel a great urge to go and grab them off the shelf just to say “I have this”! I’m a weirdo when it comes to shopping, I take my time and when I see what I want to get for that someone special, and I will get it for them. No heart attack on the sales floor, no EMT required. And no fighting either!  That part is still a mystery to me.

This time of year I watch the specials which are my favorite thing to do, in addition to decorating the tree and driving around and seeing the lights. Can’t others see how much they are missing? The outside decorations on some houses are so pretty, they just pop against the dark night sky. You can tell they had fun putting their design together. And what about the tree decorating? Did you ever think about how each ornament tells a story about your life? First, home, new baby, maybe an interest like sports, maybe a career choice, a movie you like, or characters you enjoy, like snoopy (one of my favorites)..

Slow down, breath, enjoy the time you have with those you care about. This is not the season to rush and fight and grab, it’s the season of caring and sharing. You know all year should be this way, shouldn’t it?

 

What a Reminder

The Vienna Boys Chior was singing on the radio. One of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard  and still brings me tears. Most of you might even know the name. “Little Drummer Boy” Such rich, vibrant voices and  rousing music that just flows with their harmony making it seem as if they just practiced one time. Sure they had to repeat themselves several times over and had to drink lots of water in the process, and the nearby drug store sold out of throat lozegens too, don’t you think?

Though I confess to not being able to sing every word of the this Christmas carol, what I manage to remember is done with great feeling.  This song, about a humble beginning, the largest Birthday Party in the world, is a reminder about why this season is so important. While I was singing with the chior, I didn’t worry about the gifts that I might need to buy or the cards that I still have to make and send, nope.

Peace surrounded me and I was happy, stress free for a little while, in my van, driving back home, focused on the real reason for Christmas, and it sure isn’t a retailer’s fantasy, either. No, it’s the pretty poinsetta, the one that my son and his classmates helped to grow and sold to me and others with great pride. (They’re selling them as a fundraiser for class) There so many to choose from and you could tell they had taken such care in growing each of them. I let my son choose the one I would take home. He really did good. December, like the rest of the year, is thinking about what is really important: family, friends, time together, small things the make one feel so special, calling to say hello, smiling at a stranger, giving of ones time, just like Jesus has been doing since he arrived that one holy night in Bethlehem.