Tomorrow will be the first of several Christmas parties this year. We are supposed to bring 5 $1 gifts for a fun gift exchange. I don't know how this game is going to work, but it was definitely fun. I bought a box of candy canes, a lottery ticket, reindeer socks, carmex cherry lip balm, and a black and white nature calendar. How did I do?
The day after that will be my work holiday party at the owner's house. It will be interesting having a Christmas party without so many people who have left since I have started working there. There's only one manager left at the firm now. Last year, I passed out at the Christmas party and went to the hospital after drinking half a glass of wine. I think this year, I will just "pass" on the wine. My blood pressure is too low to drink or run for very long (without swollen, tingly, red feet).
The Christmas tree is up in the house :) It was a 9 dollar tree from Wal-Mart that I bought after Christmas in 2010. I figured I might need one some day. It is a little sparse and there aren't a lot of greens on it, so you can totally see through all the gaps of the tree. This is perfect for a single gal though. I already have presents wrapped up under it for the various parties I am going to.
This year I get to enjoy the holidays with joy and optimism. I've slowly been learning to enjoy life and have fun. Allow yourself to get excited about things, and you will start seeing so much more joy in things you could have dismissed while being a humbug. So far I can make every Christmas party that I usually like to go to since they are all on different days. Thank you, Jesus :)
2012 will be my last Christmas as an unmarried woman. That is an interesting thought. What are some things I need to be sure to do in order to relish this Christmas? Am I forgetting things that I do now that I take for granted, that I won't be doing anymore?
What's on your Christmas list this year? My Christmas List?
-Washing machine
-Dryer
-TV
Funny how much more practical our wants become. Yes, I have lived without a TV. Yes, I have saved money by not having cable. I also don't have a washer or a dryer. Maybe Santa will come by next year! In all honesty, clothes, shoes, furniture would be so much more fun. In all honesty, I'm just happy to see friends and family get together, people loving others, and seeing everybody get warm fuzzies.
Jesus gave Himself as a gift to us. A gift is free. Unlike the gifts we may give or receive, His gift isn't earned by our behavior. It isn't earned at all. It's there for us to accept it just as we are, covered in sin. There's no such thing as becoming a better person before accepting this gift from God. In fact, it's just the beginning of a journey with Christ to transform your heart into His likeness through His power, not yours. When you accept Christ as your Savior, you accept that Jesus already died on the cross for your sins, and that since God accepts Him, you are now accepted because of Him. It's like a stamp. He stamps you as His, and you obtain the benefit of what He did on your behalf. We are sinners, but because Jesus was sinless, God will see us as sinless when we go to meet Him. This should remove all judgmental attitude because it is not what we do that attains our salvation. It is the mercy and grace of God and when we are gifted something we could never achieve, all we can do is have gratitude. After receiving such a wonderful gift, how can our hearts not overflow with love for others? Let God fill your heart and let your heart overflow in His goodness that never runs out.
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