Finding Peace This Season

This time of year is wonderful. It's the time of year we get to celebrate the birth of our savior, spend time with family and sing the same songs we sang last year and the year before that. Sometimes we can get caught up in the general expectation everyone around us has about what we should and shouldn't do or say, how much money is acceptable to spend, how many people we should buy gifts or make treats for, how many Christmas parties and family gatherings we should attend, and (of course!) having the best Christmas lights on the block. 

Personally, I think it gets a little overwhelming. In fact, sometimes I feel like being a "Bah Humbug" about it all and think how nice it would be to hide until the "spirit" of Christmas has taken leave because I don't have the best lights or prettiest tree, I don't have lots of money to spend on friends and family, I don't think Santa is charming and maybe I don't want to lie to my children about something that I don't feel has anything to do with Christmas in the first place.

And then I just get reminded that I am being pretty silly about this thing. There is nothing scary about Christmas. Unless, of course, you're a fan of Black Friday. That's also beside the point. 

Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ. The redeemer of the world who lay down his life for us all. And at one point in time this amazing person, the son of God, was just a tiny, precious, miracle baby to a righteous virgin mother. And while it is nice to be able to give people fancy gifts, we should remember why we do so. It is to symbolize those that came to see the savior and bought him Gold and silver and precious things to show their love and appreciation of the gift he would ultimately give to us. And while there were those wealthy wise-men,  there were also the poor Shepherds who brought nothing but their awe and acknowledgement that this was a very special day indeed, and also there were those who brought their gift of music to the Lord because that was the only thing they had to offer. And...it was enough.

I realize that this year has been tough for more than just myself, and that I don't stand alone in the feelings of inadequacy this season, but I hope that I can shed some of the light that I have found while pondering how to appropriately celebrate a season in which I struggle to find joy. I have come to the conclusion that the best way to celebrate is to be at peace because no matter what my needs this season, I have already been given the one thing that I need most in my life: the atonement. And through the atonement of Jesus Christ all things are made possible. It is with this in mind that I put forth my trust in the Lord that things will work out, and I and my family will be ok. I will do my best to give of myself to those around me, and it will be enough.