Christmas. It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

The tree is decorated with favorite ornaments collected from travels around the world.
The presents are wrapped with Pinterest-perfect bows.
The Christmas letter tells the multitude of recipients how successful little Johnny was at the spell bowl and how Susie led the volleyball team to the state championship.
The family picture is adorable by the fireplace with Rosco obediently laying his paws at just the perfect angle.
The house looks like Martha Stewart just left and the kitchen smells of freshly baked Christmas cookies!

Awwwww………perfection!

PHEWWWWY!! Who has all that??!!

No one.  Nothing is that perfect.  Cats get in trees and ornaments break; cookies burn; the family picture shows the aggravation of the itchy sweaters and usually the lights have a portion in the middle of the strand that burn out  AFTER they are placed on the gutters.

I love Christmas and the decorations and the sweet spirit that surrounds this time of year but we have to remember that our pursuit of Pinterest® perfection can take away our joy of the season.

What we should be celebrating is the baby that was born over 2000 years ago in a dirty barn with animal slobber and itchy straw.  The manger and stable weren’t Pinterest-perfect for the King of the World.  Why should we pursue it for ourselves?

As you prepare for the most wonderful time of the year, don’t lose site of the only reason we have a holiday called Christmas to celebrate.  Relax.  Remember the manger in the barn with the baby wrapped in rags and a single bright star announcing His birth.  Christmas really can be that picture-perfect.