This time of year begs for some humor in the midst of trying to juggle all the balls, the classroom parties, the teacher gifts, the music recitals, and finding the perfect Christmas outfits. A few of our funniest moments as a family have happened during the Christmas season.  When our oldest two were about three and four years old, our son was a sheep in the church Christmas pageant. The songs and stories in the pageant made reference to the restless sheep. Our son heard the word as wrestling and decided to tackle his buddy, also a sheep, rolling down the front steps of the altar in my husband’s first church. We were able to get them settled down, only to see that the sheep were at it again. I was mortified as the young, new pastor’s wife who could not “control” her children.  The rest of the congregation, however, enjoyed the laugh of a lifetime! Maybe we brought a little grace that Christmas, illustrating that we all have our moments and no one is “perfect.” The wrestling sheep with our sweet angel in the background were captured on video that has become our hysterical, yearly tradition to watch together.

     Another year, our first Christmas as parents, we excitedly prepared to attend midnight service.  We dressed our three month old in a Christmas onesie, assuming that the quiet, reflective service and singing would lull him to sleep. Of course, we were so wrong!! Our son decided to be the life of the party during the service; babbling and cooing, wiggling and squirming. He never had a moment of stillness.  I tried nursing him as discretely as possible in those not so serene moments. Needless to say, he also was not a quiet nurser, gulping and squealing throughout the whole ordeal.

    I am sure we all have stories of Christmas perfection gone wrong such as seriously failed fudge meant to be Christmas gifts for teachers, which instead became ice cream topping because it was so gooey. The favorite present you hid so the kids couldn’t find it, then you had no idea where it was…until next year.  The Christmas your child refused to wear the handsome outfit you bought him, and instead wanted to wear his Spiderman costume.  You have all had these moments…right?….Right? I know its not just me!

 Romans 12:2 The Message (MSG)

     We often work so hard to portray peace and beauty by dressing our kids in matching adorable outfits and decorating our homes like Martha Stewart. It is during these moments, God reminds us that we are still in need of a Savior. Sometimes he reminds us by showing us we need to laugh at ourselves and that there is no such thing as perfection. Sometimes, the reminders come through suffering that turns our hearts towards Christ. I have experienced so many Christmases with little ones being sick;  ill, elderly family members; and broken relationships with close friends. Might God use these in our lives, especially at Christmas, to remind us of His infinite, healing, embracing love?
   
     Perfection is unattainable.  It drives us to anxiety, and unhealthy comparison.  When we think we need to reflect the perfect family, especially during the holidays, we end up isolating ourselves and crushing the joy we are hoping to nurture. I pray for all who are weary, dejected, alone, hurting, and scared, which I believe is all of us at some point, to find joy where it may be found. 

   I have three heart wishes for you this Christmas, prayers for you to experience true joy.

    Release the idea of perfection to God. No perfectly decorated cookies,  tree, or home. No Norman Rockwell morning. No perfectly grateful children, nor the perfect present that will solve all our problems. Shall we erase the idea of joy at Christmas? Absolutely not! Christ is JOY! JOY  is found in His sacrificial love, His forgiveness offered when God knowingly became man because He loves us so fully. God knew we could never live up to the holiness of God when sin entered the world, so He gave us His own son to be perfection for us. Christ paid the price for all our failed attempts to love others well; our bad aim when trying to be all things to all people, missing the mark each time.

 Know that God is Emmanuel, God With Us, in the difficult, the humorous, and the mundane. Embrace Him and the gift of His love.

Laugh with your family, laugh at yourself, laugh with others. Enjoy the blessings around you, the good in your life. God is good, all the time.

Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God,.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.