Dear God,

It's here.
Again.
The season of swirling colors and lights and carols,
It's supposed to be all about Him, 
But, you can't get your mind off of the fact that there's a list,
Longer than what's manageable, 
further than your arms can reach.
Your brain turns it over while you're sleeping - 
and helpfully wakes you up at 3am to remind you...
that the stove is probably on. Or, the iron and
What day is the Christmas party?
Where is it again?
And girl, you're not wearing THAT dress.
The primping
The planning
The painting
Will there be time, this weekend,
for the kids you've barely seen all week?
What will they do,
While you're
Prepping and
Polishing
Watch TV?
Wasn't it you who said, "I won't let the television raise my kids."
But there are things that need to be done. Like...
Spray the cat who's in the tree again,
knocking around those decorations you just replaced.
And muddle over the cost of groceries for the week,
Bruises are showing from the pennies a' pinching.
At work there's
A sea of marking,
meetings and 
general pre-holiday mayhem.
Stir crazy students like 
Snow piles at every turn. 
And that quiet place, 
for friends,
for family, 
for fun, and 
for Him,
is pushed
and replaced and sent 
to the back 
of a very loud and demanding line.
Like the one you dread standing in,
holding armfuls of gifts, you're not SURE
are exactly right.
Because isn't it that Christmas comes from a store? 
If you love, you'll spend more! more! MORE!
How is it, God, that I am so forgetful?
So willing,
to forget,
about the very precious gift,
the only important gift,
the one that came for free?
Peace, be still.
Silent Night,
Holy Night,
Remember the Joy,
Share Jesus with the world.  Help me, Father.
To know that you 
Hold this world.
That your gracious gift to me, is love. 
No matter what - love. 
And He came on Christmas morning.