Can you hear Me now?

I read awhile ago an extraordinary story about a woman who said God spoke to her. Not in the literal way as in she heard voices but in the manner that He put something on her heart and that there was no other explanation other then it being God. I've always wondered what that would be like and if I were to ever be that lucky to have God talk to me....would I hear it?

I've never been great at listening, I hate admitting that but it's true. I'm what you call a fixer. I can't help it... I get it from my dad. You come to me with a problem and I'm going to tell you what I think you should do. I know, annoying isn't it!! I even know that, because when it happens to me, I am just that...annoyed. But what can I say...call it a character flaw....I'm workin on it! :)~

A few weeks ago I started thinking about Christmas and how uptight and stressed I get over the holiday's, the running around and trying to appease all sides of the family with equal / adequate time. The chaos of shopping lines, getting just the right gift, the money....oh the money that seems to appear from nowhere and disappear faster then you can blink only to leave an emptiness after all is said in done. Empty pockets, empty cupboards, empty spirits everything...just empty!

What happened to the Spirit of Christmas, more specifically what happened to MY Christmas spirit? I use to love Christmas when I was little. I mean how could you not with a dad who epitomizes the spirit of giving. He instilled in us the true pleasure of giving. I recall countless Christmas's where he couldn't wait to give my mother something he had bought for her. I loved that we always took turns opening gifts so that we could all see what everyone got and better yet see the expression on the faces of those opening the gifts that we had given them. I loved that!

But as time has gone by and it seems there are more Christmas's to go to with extended family and the push and pull of every one's expectations of your time, it's taken something away from it all. At least for me. Too much driving around from place to place, someone always upset that you can't attend or can't stay longer. Loading and unloading the car place after place. Children, overstimulated and cranky that they have no real time to play with the things they just received and a mountain of new things to try and find a place for. It has become such a downer for me filled with stress and chaos. I've come to really dislike the holiday's.

Though a few weeks ago, I started thinking about Christmas. I NEVER think about Christmas this soon. But this year it's on my mind all the time. I want to enjoy this Christmas time with my family and give gifts that show my love for them. I want to make my gifts and find ways to make it memorable and not about the truck load of gifts that are passed around in a frantic chaotic paper tearing exchange. I want to bring back that real sense of the holiday and honor the birth of Jesus and the gifts He gave to all of us that we all often forget about and take for granted. And I want to instill in my kids the true spirit of giving not just receiving.

I find myself thinking of this daily and coming up with new ideas to surprise my family with this year to make this a Christmas we can all remember. The more time I spend thinking about this the more I've come to believe that God has indeed put this on my heart. Why, I don't know exactly but the realization that God is leading me and guiding me with this fills me with such an indescribable feeling of joy and excitement at both the idea of building memories with my family as well as the realization that when you take the time to listen......He will talk to you!

May you all have a Blessed Christmas filled with love and family and fond memories.