Did You Survive Christmas?

How was your Christmas? As you might surmise from this picture, mine was pretty good. My granddaughter, Regan, was really into Christmas presents this year. At 4 years old, she was old enough to anticipate the holiday, with all the same excitement her older brother, Aidan, has had for the past couple of years now. We may not always be as blessed with good fortune, but for this Christmas, we were blessed and unworthy of all God has provided.

What was your initial response to my question? Well, I survived! If so, what made it simply one in which you survived as if coming through a bad storm? Were there too many people at your celebration as you "suffered" though the noise of all the relatives talking? Did all the shopping, cleaning up, decorating and wrapping presents cause you anxiety and stress? Did you fret over the presents you were giving this year? Were you ready for the relatives to just leave so you could enjoy peace and quiet?

Whatever your answer to the questions posed here, let me offer an alternate answer to my question, How was your Christmas?

This year my health was better than it has been in many years. This year I have a job. This year I can sleep knowing I am in a safe place. This year, I was happy to be with people I love. This year we were blessed to afford to give something to others. This year I slept in a warm bed instead of outside on a cold piece of cardboard. This year I got to see my grandchildren. This year my husband and I got to see a church Christmas program staring our grandchildren. This year we got to see our youngest granddaughter in the same room with her great-great- aunt. This year a son unable to be with us, called to say Merry Christmas! This year our sons still say I love you Mom and Dad, and mean it. This year I do not have to worry where my children are.

Blessings for no reason have befallen us all and we need to take notice. God has given us boundless mercy and gifts beyond our dreams no matter how big or small. Look at the messy house after the family leaves, the dirty dishes in the sink, the larger than normal trash on the curb and the pictures taken around the Christmas tree and think, I am blessed!

How was our Christmas? Blessed beyond what we deserve.
Thank you God, for sending your son in the form of a baby some 2010 years ago. We didn't deserve it then and we don't deserve it now, but we're eternally grateful. Amen.