Preparation...

When you have a baby, you spend months preparing for it's arrival. You have to prepare somehow mentally since you're life is going to be changing. Yet you can't really because you cannot fathom how it's going to change.

Then there are the physical preparations. Sometimes that involves paint and new clothes or furniture. Sometimes that involves moving into a bigger house. Sometimes it's just moving over in the bed.

Then there is the excited anticipation of the arrival of the baby. There are parties and talk of the baby. There are presents and fun things! Time seems to slow down as you await the arrival.

Isn't that what it should be like now? A baby is arriving! But this isn't just any baby. This is THE baby. Our Lord and Savior.

Yes He already has come and will come again but this is the time of year that we should be remembering and celebrating. Instead people are running around buying useless gifts for people that they don't really know because they feel they need to. (I'm not saying gift buying is bad, it's fun! However why buy someone something just because you think you have to?)

When in fact we should be remembering and reflecting on what it's really about. I'm not saying don't buy gifts and hang your stockings. These are the fun things too! I do believe that Jesus likes this part too. He likes us to be joyful and happy! And these things can make us happy.

But if all we're doing is focusing on those things, we're losing what it's all really about. We're even doing this in the Christian "world". It's the last Sunday before Christmas and we don't have any plans to talk about Christmas in my Sunday School class. We're blowing through this season just like the rest of society.

I know that there are kids who don't have a clue what this time of year is about. All they can think of is when Santa is arriving and what he's going to bring them. This is what they probably talk about all day while at school and with their friends. I remember doing this too.

But what about the baby? When do we learn about the baby? When do we get to feel the excited anticipation of his arrival?

So Lord... use me. If it means I need to shake things up, then use me if that is what you want. I know that you are "powerful enough to help me do what you want me to do."