Number 10: "Christmas time is supposed to be here"

With Christmas rapidly approaching I was beginning to grow worried. Not about which gifts to buy or whether I should listen to Nat King Cole or the Rat Pack Christmas, but rather, if I was going to miss Christmas altogether.

About a week ago I had just about resolved myself to letting it pass me by without a thought.

For perhaps the first time in my life I was tired of Christmas.

You see, for about three weeks straight I worked non-stop on putting together this Christmas festival, and by the end of it I was ready for it ALL to be over. But then I realized I would be missing out. So for the last week I have been doing everything I can to completely inundate myself with everything Christmas. I have been blasting myself with Christmas music non-stop, and trying to watch a lot of my favorite Christmas movies (tonight its "Home Alone", which comically enough I wasn't really allowed to watch as a child, and this didn't really become a "classic Christmas tradition" until college).

At first I was scared. Since nothing of what I have known to be Christmas exists right now (family, friends, cold weather), I wasn't sure how I was going to achieve that "Christmas feeling". I started to feel sorry for myself. But I refused to let sadness happen. Instead, I am working to establish all new Christmas memories and feelings, so that when next year roles around, I will have something to reminisce about.

Still, it is going to be pretty weird spending Christmas somewhere other than at home with my family. You may be wondering why I won't be home for Christmas, so let me explain. We 4 Christmas Eve services at Mount Pisgah, 1 of which occurs at 11 pm. So, were I to want to drive home I would have to start the 12+ hour trek at about 1 in the morning. Then, since I have to be at work on Thursday (I haven't aquired enough PTO days to take one off yet), I would have to turn around the day after Christmas and drive another 12+ hours. I love my family, but they love me more and are quite understanding of the impracticality of this. But fortunately, God has blessed me with other options. I am going to Oxford, Alabama to spend Christmas with my dear friend Jody and his family, which I am really looking forward to.

So Merry Christmas to you all, and remember that Christmas is not about family. It's about Jesus, and you can celebrate Him wherever you are at anytime.