Dec 24th

We had the nativity plays in church this morning.  And the children put on a great show.  They were funny and sweet and sang their little hearts out.   The whole church was proud of them - parents and grandparents, and those who had no children involved but are part of the family of the church.  We listened to the Christmas story and heard ' I'll give God me this Christmas, Im the best gift I can give'  We watched our gymnast flip and leap across the stage and our teenagers sing and dance.   We sang carols and prayed for persecuted Christians around the world.  And then we finished up with coffee and chocolate doughnuts and mince pies!   It was a lovely, festive, celebration.

And so Christmas 2012 is upon us.  The world didnt end on Friday, so there's no excuse!!  Its time to put the final touches to the presents, get that turkey sorted out and crack open a bottle of something (and perhaps sneakily open a box of chocolate something) as we flop exhausted into bed and wait for Santa to arrive.

It's not like the TV adverts.  At least not in our house.  Christmas lunch does not consist of three sorts of roast bird and six dozen types of veg and flaming homemade Christmas pudding ( except that this year it might cos Emma sent me one of her homemade puddings for Christmas - hooray!!!  thanks doll)  We dont all sit down and play a board game after lunch or go out for a bracing walk.   There wont be any snow. We wont be eating Ferrero Rocher and drinking champagne. :-)
The pressures on us to make it like this are ridiculous.   Resist the pressures.   Do what makes Christmas meaningful and enjoyable for you.  You and your family or just you yourself.

I have been blessed and amazed and humbled this year by how many people have told me they have read this blog and enjoyed/ been challenged/ felt in some way helped by it.  Thank you so much for reading.  Thanks for all your positive comments.  Im so happy if something I have said here has struck a chord.   The depression blog certainly did.  So many of you are in a similar boat and I wish you every blessing as you negotiate your own way through the fog.

We approach a New Year. For many of us 2012 hasn't been great and we shall be glad to leave it behind.  For others this has been a lovely year full of good things and many blessings.  If I have learned anything in my 46 years on the planet it is that life moves in seasons, that nothing lasts forever and that there is a bigger picture.  God loves us.  Passionately and totally.  He is working all things together for the good of those who love Him.  Sometimes we cant see it and we just have to trust.

Lord, thank you for Your wonderful and extravagant love expressed in the birth life and death of Jesus Your precious only Son.  Thank you for all the blessings and trials of this past year.  As I approach the next one would you hold my hand more tightly, speak to me more clearly and constantly infuse me with the knowledge that I am loved.  Bless me Lord and bless all who are dear to me. Protect us and keep us from harm. 
Oh, and Lord,
Happy birthday !