Christmas Surrendered

For the past three years, we have cleared a bookshelf in our living room at Christmas and replaced all of the normal pictures and miscellaneous objects with nativity scenes. Currently, there are about a dozen of them set up on the four shelves.

Among the items that regularly sit on the shelves is a Precious Moments angel ornament. I have no idea why it has been left on the shelves all year, but I had moved it last weekend to set up the nativity scenes. It was sitting on an end table, with other "dislocated" shelf items. J found it, and asked if he could add it to the shelves.

"Sure. Go ahead." I’ve been very relaxed this Christmas about where decorations are placed – whatever works has been my policy. In fact, J set up a few of the nativity scenes himself. One of them, one with many pieces, is so sweetly arranged that I may have to make it a blog entry of its own.

Anyway, I didn’t pay any attention to what he was doing with the little angel. I came back the next day, and noticed where he placed it. Take a look at the photo. He placed the little angel right in front of Jesus, staring at the Christ, with his back to the room. I haven't and am not going to touch it. It stays right where he put it.

Focused on Jesus.

Where is our focus this Advent season?

Early this December, I surrendered Christmas to God. I haven't done such a good job spiritually with Christmas in the past few years, and I decided that it was time to let go of it. Let go.

One of the devotions in our JM book this year says, "We have to trust that in the surrender of our hearts and our being, God will come in. When we surrender ourselves, God fill us with all we need." She goes on to say, "I don’t have control. You don’t have control. We have something much better – we have all we need."

This December I have been focused on items other than my To Do list for Christmas. My tree went up late, I'm not finished shopping, but I'm trusting that all of that will get done. It will get done. Instead of worrying, I have had a wonderful, wonder-filled advent season in preparation for Christmas -- thanks to my family, thanks to my friends, thanks to my God.

I keep saying, "I will not be stressed." What I'm really saying is that God is doing a great job with this Christmas season, and I'm not going to take it back. It's His, and He can keep it. I surrender all.

It will get done, but it will not do me in. God is in control, and I have all I need.