Christmas Expectations

Life is lived somewhere between the real and the ideal. Every year we go through the same exercise to provide the perfect Christmas Holiday experience. And every year something happens to remind us how elusive that experience is. I just got off the phone with my dad. He informed me that my mom wants a garbage disposal for Christmas. Beside the irony that I do not believe in garbage disposals, it just doesn't seem to be the ideal Christmas present. Other presents say, "Some assembly required." This one needs installed. Christmas gifts shouldn't be installed. Maybe I am just a little on edge. I put up our Christmas lights last Saturday wearing shorts and a t-shirt. I was eaten up by mosquitoes! You know that is not right.

I do not know what to get Lori for Christmas. If I ask her what she wants she will think to herself, "If he loved me he would already know the perfect gift!" Or worse she could tell me that she already told me what she wanted - and I forgot. Either way I lose. (If only she needed a garbage disposal.)

I guess Mary and Joseph struggled with the real and ideal. Things didn't start off the way they had planned. I am sure their journey to Bethlehem was more difficult than my family's caravan to Texas. (As difficult as that was!) I am sure Bethlehem wasn't high on their list of places to see. However, Bethlehem was the very place where Ruth found redemption. This was the place where David was anointed king. This would be the place where our Savior was born. And this was the place where the real and the ideal were the same.

December 12, 2007