Preparations

Gifts are wrapped, bourbon balls made (and taunting me from the refrigerator), Christmas lights hung, Christmas cards sent, holiday movies watched. 

Our Advent calendar is dwindling, acts of kindness it contained carried out over the past twenty-something days. 

Christmas Angel shopping has been done and there's a giant stocking full of Christmas Angel gifts awaiting Christmas Eve...and even a couple gifts that didn't fit hiding in teens' bedrooms. 

Today we make sugar cookies, peppermint bark, and go on a super secret birthday mission while Daddy and the teen boys are at the movies to celebrate Alex's eighteenth birthday. We brave the grocery store for last minute baking items. We watch more holiday movies. 

We listen to Christmas music - not holiday music - today. We start and end our day with the Word. We continue centering our days in the sacred stories that remind us what this season is all about. We prepare to celebrate the greatest Gift. 

God be with us as we give, as we receive, as we worship, as we sing, and as we celebrate. Fill our souls with your love that we may pour it generously out to others. Give us patience as we await those special days and the holy moments they contain. Thank you for your abundant love, and for sending Love down to live among us and die for us.