 St Alban’s Episcopal Church Bolivar, Missouri Monday, December 19, 2022 An Easy Christmas A quiet Christmas A de-stressed Christmas  What if you simply let go all expectations about what Christmas should be like? What if you relax and allow it to be whatever it is? Americans tend to expect too much from celebrations, birthdays, and holidays. The result is that we spend more than can afford on things we really don’t need, to make us feel “Christmasy” – or to make us feel as if we have adequately shown our love for someone. But what if we don’t? What if getting the tree decorated isn’t all that urgent – that we can do it whenever we want to – without pressure? What if we really did simply, quietly, focus on the immeasurable gift of “Emmanuel” – If we really welcomed the truth – and it is an amazing one if we stop to think about it, that GOD really IS WITH US – no matter the situation or circumstance? What if we celebrated that with simple foods that don’t exhaust us – with simple gifts that don’t leave us broke, with music and light and laughter? What if we found that we aren’t disappointed at all? That God really is among us, with us, for us – that all by itself is miracle enough – and joy enough.  With snow coming on Thursday, I hope you will be warm enough, able to stay home, to reflect, maybe to write or call those you love, to enjoy children home from school, even to bake a little if you want to – to watch a Christmas movie, or to sleep late. Lower expectations and you just might find gratitude welling up! Christmas Eve at St Alban’s 5 pm Saturday.   |
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