Christmas Daze...

My house has thrown up Christmas.

I  specifically entered the season with a "less is more" approach.  For those of you that know my normal insanity about the holiday, I usually plan a different decorating theme for every room.  But with a trip to speak at a convention, and Emma's tonsils coming out right before Thanksgiving, I firmly stated, "Christmas will be what it will be this year.  No going crazy".

So what happened?  The big family Christmas was at my house two weeks ago.  Christmas decorations were relatively low key (for me), and we had a lovely time.

But something has happened since then.  Maybe it's elves when I sleep.  But everywhere I look, there are Christmas decorations.

Snowmen on the bay window.

Silver and gold and a nutcracker on my dining room table.

Candles and mangers on my fireplace, snowmen on one coffee table, presents on another.  The dining room light has greenery.  Each family photo has a bow. And a table is filled with candy, and candy decorations, and cookies, and cards.

And Snoopy is sitting on my TV.  

I don't know how it happened.  Not all of this was here at the family Christmas party.  It's as if I am a country store about to sell Christmas items to browsing families.  (Which, ironically, WAS this year's theme..."country store".)

So the final irony?  Emma comes up, plops on the couch, then rolls on the floor and says, "it doesn't feel like Christmas at all."

I know her heart....and I actually share it.  It's not Christmas until I'm blown away by God's creation of each little snowflake a unique design.  Until I see and feel and hear Jesus in the "silent night", and until my heart is only focused on Him, and the amazing miracle He brings:  peace on earth, and a love that we cannot understand how tall and deep and wide and true it is.