Are You Ready for Christmas?

 As we all scramble to decorate, bake, find the perfect gift and all the other things that go along with the busy Christmas season how many times do you get asked or ask yourself, "Are you ready for Christmas?"  Even years when I think I am ready, I find myself in a debate of, "Am I really ready or is there more I can do?" It can be a stressful cycle as we prepare for Christmas day.

My thoughts turn to a story years ago, of a young pregnant mother, with two little kids already. I am sure this particular Christmas season was a very busy time for her. She probably had done some preparing for the baby, but since it was not due for over a month, she still had plenty of time. However, when Christmas Day arrived this tiny baby boy made an early entrance in this world and they were not ready. A lot of scrambling took place. When they brought him home from the hospital there was no bassinette or crib. They placed him in a shoebox and would lay it on the oven door to keep him warm.  

This Christmas birth got me thinking about Mary and Joseph. I wonder how much preparing they had done at their home to be ready for Jesus's birth.  As they made the trip to Bethlehem to pay their taxes, they had no idea Mary would go in to labor. Any preparations they had made for the birth were not there.  In fact the first Christmas was full of unreadiness. I love the way David Butler tells it,

"Mary goes in to labor unexpectedly

Joseph scrambles to find clean hay

Shepherds were woken up in the middle of the night

Angels come with out an invitation

and wise men show up far beyond fashionably late, They totally missed the party, by a year.

A party, by the way , that someone forgot to book a room for in the first place.

What a scene that must have been and yet...

and yet it all worked out. Beautifully in fact. 

Picture worthy

Song writing worthy

Celebration worthy

Not because it all went according to plan or because everyone was ready, 

but because there was love.

and there was a purpose.

and there was family

and there was Jesus.

And that is how it all worked out."

The story of the other unexpected Christmas birth, in my mind turned out pretty amazing too. The young mother was my grandmother and that Christmas baby that slept in a shoebox is my dad. Having your birthday on Christmas is a hard thing. We always tried to make his birthday a celebration and would even choose a different day that we could make his own.  He never cared. Christmas to him was not about his birthday, it was like that of the first Christmas all about love, family, purpose with Jesus at the center of it all. In fact that is how he lived each and everyday of his life. 

I marvel at the outcome of both Christmas births. Two incredible men, one perfect and the other perfect in my eyes, that both play a crucial and significant role in my life.  One came to save me, my elder brother, my Lord, my Savior. The other came to lead by example, to teach and testify of Jesus Christ.

This Christmas will be very different from the ones in the past, the spot by the fireplace that my dad always sat each Christmas morning for as long as I remember will be empty, but hearts will be full of love and gratitude for him as we celebrate.

My thoughts around the age old question of. 

"Are you ready for Christmas?" 

will be different this year too. 

This year I decided as long as I celebrate Christmas as my dad would; 

WITH LOVE

WITH FAMILY

WITH PURPOSE

CENTERED AROUND JESUS.

It doesn't matter if I am ready or not this Christmas will be absolutely perfect!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

XOXO
Tiffanee

David Butler is an author and co-host of an incredible podcast called Don't Miss This.