This blessed Christmas

We are SO close to December. Which also means that we are getting close to Advent.

Advent has got to be one of my favorite times of the year. There is such expectancy and warmth.

I was trying to ask myself why I like Christmas so much. Every answer I could come up always came back to hope.

This is the season of hope. And expectant hope.

Jesus has already come. We expect to celebrate.
He is going to come again. We are expectantly waiting.

I have to confess. I have been dreading the Christmas season.

It is busy at church.
At home.
Out shopping.

And to a woman who has fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, that sounds terrible.

This is my fourth Christmas having a chronic illness. By now, I have been around the block to know what the holidays will mean for my emotions, body, disease, etc.

As I was relaxing into this feeling of disappointment and dread, I realized that just wasn't acceptable to me.

Ergo. I've been trying to catch myself each time the stress and dread starts to take over and remind myself.

This is a joyful thing. I don't have to dread it.
This is one of my favorite things. I don't have to put a ton of energy into it.
This is a blessed Christmas.
Because.
Jesus has already come. I expect to celebrate that.
He is going to come again. I am expectantly waiting.

I invite you to join me for a blessed Christmas this year. My plan is to blog throughout the Advent season as I explore it in a new way. Tune in back here starting December 1. Let's go through this season in hope together.