Good-bye November, Hello December

It's Friday morning, the day after Thanksgiving. We've taken the Christmas tree out of the box, set it up, and will be decorating it soon. After the rosemary bush we used last year -- maybe 18 inches tall in a pot we draped in white gauze and decorated with miniature balls and bells -- this one seems quite big. (Last year we were in the midst of redecorating the living room and were waiting for our new carpet and furniture to arrive after Christmas. Our old couches had ben hauled off, and we had little enthusiasm for putting up a tree in the middle of our mess.) By day's end, it will look a lot like Christmas around here.

I'm seldom on top of Christmas shopping, no matter my intentions, but it looks like things are coming together this year. Shopping is always a wonderful part of the Christmas season, but it can be pretty distracting. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a distraction-free December!

In just a couple of days November will be history. I am hoping for a December where the joy of Christmas and the reason for Christmas reign in our home.

I know we can't determine our circumstances, and it may or may not turn out to be a peaceful December for any of us, but the peace of Christ can reign in our hearts. That's what I pray for each of you.

Good-bye November; hello December!