Ba humbug to A Perfect Brightness of Hope

It was a bleak start to the month and part way through we are still getting remnants of bad things happening.  We have had a lot of repairs on vehicles costing our family around $800 in total.  My Christmas budget has been begged, borrowed and stolen by our vehicles.  Every time I think I'm going to have a bit of money to go shopping for family members and kids, Bam!!!! something else breaks.

I was starting to get depressed, then the cats kept knocking over the tree.  The secret Santa at school went from one gift to three.  It seemed like I was become Scrooge or the Grinch.

Funny thing that Grinch.  I in my wallowing in self pity I was thinking about Christmas of past that we had so much less.  Just a year ago our son walked away from what could have been a fatal car accident with literally nothing, but a scratch.  Then the quote, "It not about packages, boxes or bags," came to mind.

So despite the budget crunch and decorating the tree for the third time this season I am going to look at what I do have.  I have a beautiful family who I am grateful to be able to argue with (he he!).  I have presents for my kids, I have a great oven to make the rest and all will be well.

Because it is not about the packages, boxes or bags it is about Christ.  So gifts of love and service it is once again.  Amazing when I took the money pressure away how everything once again became so simple.