without the bells and whistles

Mmmm… I hope I never have to abandon my “cup of coffee in the morning” routine. 

Christmas is just around the corner—as if there’s anyone who could be so absentminded to miss that fact.  It’s going to be a very different holiday this year than any I’ve experienced before.  Here’s why:

1. I have never, EVER been away from my family on Christmas day
2. I won’t get to open one present on Christmas Eve, resulting in a brand new pair of “Christmas” pj’s (courtesy of my mom)
3. I’ll miss out on the traditional Christmas Eve Finger Food Extravaganza my family indulges in every year
4. I’M PREGNANT

It’s not like missing any of these things (save the fourth) really makes any difference in my life… and they are definitely NOT what Christmas is about, but I love all the childhood memories of happy times that keeping these 3 little rules conjure up.  I guess my new role is to look back on Christmases past and simply remember.  Life is different now.

In the meantime, I have the things of this Christmas to look forward to, such as…

• spending quality time with my new family
• making new traditions with my side of the family
• taking in everything along with my new husband for the first time
• benefiting from the happy smiles and giggles of my new niece, who is much more over-stimulated than I will ever be
• rejoicing over my new life, brought by my God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who made Himself nothing to be redemption in this fallen world

I truly do love all of the nostalgic feelings that are part and parcel with Christmas time, but I think the greater thing to focus on this Christmas is my role in this life.  And what is that role?  To be a loving, supportive wife, a soon-to-be parent, and, above all else, a minister of the gospel of Christ.  If I had nothing else in this world except Jesus and a burden to bring Him glory, it would be a full life.