Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! I hope your celebrations have been beautiful!

Even if it hasn’t been everything you hoped for, Christmas keeps going for 12 days, and then some — so there is plenty of time to experience all that this Season of Grace has to offer.

I’ve been making a conscious effort to try to live these days in a celebratory manner — despite the challenges of being part of a family business and having to take care of many practical things at year end.

Many years ago, a rousing game of “paper, scissors, rock” granted me the position of CFO for our family business.

Clearly I lost.

It’s almost a cruel joke that in this Season of grace and feasting I have to stare at numbers and make sure we have everything in order by December 31st.

But I refuse to let it get in the way of receiving all the peace and the joy that I just know Christ wants for me in this Season.

It occurred to me that maybe you have similar challenges and worries this time of year, too?

If so, I want to encourage you to find ways to really celebrate in the next few weeks, despite all of the cares and worries that you might be struggling with.

Try to ponder what it means to really feast in the midst of the daily challenges and practical demands that come in one of the greatest seasons of grace in our year.

I’ll be doing the same.

Life has a way of getting in the way of our “perfect” plans. The question I am pondering is how to do justice to feasting while respecting the demands placed upon me.

Hmm… still haven’t figured it all out, but I’ll keep you updated.

And, though, this might seem like a cray-cray statement, the devil is also trying to getting in the way of our celebrating in this Season of grace.

He’s trying to overwhelm us with the cares of the world, the panic of worry and fear that too easily can disturb our peace.

The battle is real.

You can listen to the lies and give in to the fear that the devil is trying to whisper in your ear — or you can fight.

I say, fight!

Fight with everything in you and then look to God to overcome the devil in your fight with fear and anxiety.

Ask Mary, undoer of knots to overcome the knots in your life. Choose to trust that God will overcome.

Tell the Devil to go back to Hell where he belongs and choose joy.

That’s right. This girl is going to rejoice in this Season, despite the Devil’s best efforts.

I hope you do, too!

For now, I have my eyes fixed on the big family gatherings happening this weekend and preparing for my brother and parents to visit in the next few days.

I married into a wonderful, quirky, gregarious family that seems to lean conspicuously towards the extroverted side — which works out perfectly because most of the extroverts married introverts.

They’re almost as crazy as my own family — and that’s saying something.

Gatherings are always full of great food, lots of laughter, some shouting, witty banter and deep conversations — and maybe even some singing, here or there.

Truth be known, they are pretty darn amazing and I love them like my own family — they have become my family, over the years.

And hey, maybe there is sometimes a disagreement or two — but that’s life in a big family.

Who said everybody needs to perfectly agree at all times in order to love each other?

Not me! And certainly not my family! No siree. :).

I know family gatherings can be stressful this time of year. Getting ready for a gathering can sometimes feel like suiting up for battle — but it really doesn’t have to be that way.

Every family has its own quirks and challenges — the more we can accept those differences, the more we’ll be ale to embrace all the beautiful things that are part of family life as well.

So I would like to encourage you to reach out to your family and those who you have had differences in the past.

If you want to really be able to enter into this Season of Grace — look first to ways you need to reconcile with your family and acquaintances.

Be a peacemaker in your family, in your workplace and in your homes.

If you are going to a gathering where you know there is somebody you don’t get along with, then double down with prayer.

Pray for that person that irks you or hurts you.

Pray for them and see the difference that offering forgiveness to them in your heart has on your next meeting.

Try to reconcile in this season of grace.

Be braver then you thought you could be. Do not let anger and resentment have the final word.

Let love fill your heart and pour itself out on your challenging relationships.

Who knows, maybe it could be the beginning of something beautiful in your life.

Off to spend some time with family. Hope you are off to do the same in this upcoming week.