Expectations
Over the past few years (on the days between Christmas and NYE) I have experienced a Christmas hangover. Not a hangover from the result of too much alcohol, but an emotional hangover. The build up of Christmas can bring so much (self-induced) pressure to make things magical (especially when you're a Mom to little people). So, I planned, shopped, wrapped, baked, cleaned, showed up to all the parties and events, shopped more, wrapped more and cleaned more until I realized I was so busy doing ALL.THE.THINGS that I missed out on experiencing the true joy of the season. After the "shock and awe" of Christmas, I was left feeling disappointed, empty and regretful and couldn't really understand why. This past Sunday, at our candlelight Christmas service , pastor Scott said something that really stood out to me . It lined up perfectly with something I've been working on all year (expectations). He said "we expect things of this world that the world can not deliver. If