Making Ready

I am struggling to get into the mood of Christmas this year.  The joyous anticipation of the past is not anywhere I can find it.  Instead of giddily dragging boxes of decorations from my garage, I keep looking at the boxes on their shelves and feeling indifference.  Our usual Advent activities just seem burdensome.

The fight with the school for #3 may be over for now, but it has worn me out and stolen my enthusiasm.  Add medical issues for 2 other members of the family, and I just want to forget that Christmas is coming at all.  Even the prospect of buying cute shoes for the office Christmas party doesn’t thrill me.  That’s how I know that this malaise is serious.  We’re talking indifference to shoes here, people.

I wrote the other day about not all pregnancies being met with instant joy.  That’s how this Christmas is feeling to me.  There’s a baby on the way bringing with Him joy and wonder, but all I can feel is the burden and responsibility of it all.  Lucky for me, I’ve been here before.  I know that there is power in preparation.  Decorating the nursery changes things.  Putting up a tree and hanging stockings changes them, too.

There is a baby coming for all of us.  His impending arrival has reached the point where it can no longer be denied.  It is imminent.  If he were my son, I’d be washing his clothes, prepping his cradle, and making plans for bringing him home.  He’s God’s son, but the preparations must go on just the same.  We must make ready for Him by cleansing ourselves (Confession), and preparing our hearts to receive Him.  We need to plan and prepare for Him to enter into our lives and our homes.

There is a baby coming.  Soon.  Please, God, help us to be ready to make Him welcome.