Preparing Our Hearts and Our Homes for Christmas

I love Christmas, and honestly, I love the preparation of Christmas — at least I love it when I don’t feel the pressure of time slipping away before I’m ready!

Every year, Joy Sunday is a big day for us. We get our Christmas tree, blast Christmas music as decorate the house, and get everything ready to celebrate BIG with our family and guests who come to visit over the holidays. It’s a lovely tradition and we all look forward to it.

This year was a little different. We have two children away at school and there was a packed Gaudete Sunday weekend with end of semester activities. Instead of trying to cram it all into one weekend, we got our tree early and decided to decorate when our kids were all home.

It was as lovely as ever — even with the few days delay — and I’m slowly finishing all the final decorating details that make our house cozy and ready for celebration.

But with all the preparation, there is one detail that can be overlooked — but is the most important part of getting ready for Christmas — don’t forget to prepare your hearts and the heart of your family!

Best word of advice: if you haven’t gone to confession and your family hasn’t gone to confession this Advent, make it a priority! I don’t care what else has to fall to the wayside, make it happen!

It will change the family dynamics and prepare your heart to experience the JOY of this season. Seriously, there is no replacement for confession in clearing the clutter from our hearts and allowing the joy of the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts to overflowing.

No replacement!

So whatever you do, get to confession and drag your family, friends — heck, maybe even complete strangers — to confession.

Throw in an hour of adoration and I promise you, you will not regret that time given to God. Your hearts will be ready and the Joy of the Season will be yours to receive.

So let’s prepare our hearts and not let the little things become bigger than the BIG THINGS of this Season. Let Jesus reign in your heart and let love be born anew, like that little Babe on that first Christmas morning, 2000 years ago.

I’m taking the next two weeks off of the blog, so you can always catch my everyday posts over on Facebook or Instagram. If not, Merry, Merry Christmas and I’ll catch you in the New Year!