Today my husband and I traveled to Pinehurst to visit friends. We got lost and arrived 45 minutes late. I had instructions from mapquest, but I had the wrong house number. I am not sure how many times we drove past our friends' house before we recognized where we were. Oh - we tried to call for directions, but the number they gave us was out on the golf course in the midst of a serious game. By the time we finally got around to calling information to get the house number we pulled into the driveway.

We chatted for a while and then went out to lunch. It had been a year since we had visited them in their new home. Now we were reminiscing the year and projecting into the future.

We discussed all sorts of topics including Christmas shopping. I announced that I would be breaking the rules this year. I don't want to do any shopping! It's not that I am a scrooge - I love Christmas. This year I don't want to cloud my Christmas by letting the rules dictate how I celebrate. I want my holiday to be holy and pure.

That reminds me I am focusing on the PURPOSE for Christmas. Christmas is a time when I can remember that Jesus POINTS to my heart and claims me.

He UNCOVERS my sin and sets me free. In both cases I have to be willing to submit to His work in my life. Before I go any further into the holiday I want to come clean. I want to look deep into my heart and rid myself of anything that binds me, anything that keeps me from totally celebrating the season. That is one reason I don't want to shop. I don't want to want something that convinces me that my life will be better if I have it. I don't want to look at what my neighbor has and want it so badly it consumes me. I want to open up my soul and dump out whatever has taken control and taken up residence in there. I know that once I come clean I will be ready to fill myself up with music, joy, wonder, compassion, and worship. After all isn't that what the shepherds who left their lambs did. Isn't that what the wise men who laid down their treasures did? Isn't that what Mary and Joseph did when they traded in their plans for God's plans and said 'yes' to Him?