What Matters Most

In the busyness of the Christmas season, I’ll be reposting some of my favorite posts and scaling back my original content. I’m focusing on Christmas this week and will post a best-of 2012 next week after Christmas. This particular post was published last year following my kids’ Christmas program at school.

I admit I’ve been too busy this Christmas season. I’m busy at work. I’m busy at home. I’m busy everywhere in between. I put up Christmas lights a couple weekends ago, but most of the time I forget to turn them on. We finally got a tree Sunday and I appreciate my kids starting to decorate, but I haven’t touched it since. And as far as all the Christmas shopping goes… I’ve purchased a single present. One. Out of a long list.

Sigh.

But last night reminded me to take the time to enjoy this season. Last night my kids performed in their elementary school holiday recital. There’s just something about little kids dressed as reindeer and others in cowboy hats singing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer out of time and out of tune that makes all the hustle and bustle an afterthought.

Sunday we dress it up a little more as my son gets to play one of the three Wise Men as they act out the birth of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew. He’s so excited he forgets he’s also singing with his choir (which is a good thing). My daughter meanwhile, will be singing We Wish You a Merry Christmas with other 2-4 year-olds.

So last night I remembered to turn my lights on. I slowed down a took a deep breath. And I remembered that I’m actually supposed to be enjoying this time of year.

All because of a bunch of silly kids. I bet Jesus was a silly kid. And if he could’ve dressed up as a Reindeer, I bet he would’ve volunteered to be Rudolph. I wish I could hear him sing.