Maybe We’ll Get it Right Next Year

Each year on Thanksgiving Eve, I send my husband to the post office to mail out our Christmas cards. We always do family photos in the Fall and I promptly order our holiday cards and ensure my labels are up to date. I love sending and receiving cards each year. I display them in our house and it brings me joy as each one arrives in the mail throughout the month of December.

Knowing how busy the month of December gets, I look at mailing out cards early as a gift to myself. It’s something I enjoy doing but also something I don’t need piling up on my already busy to-do list.

But here is a confession: I don’t love our card this year. The reason is super petty and honestly makes me roll my eyes at myself. But I can’t help it. I dislike how I look in our family photo and therefore it makes me not love our card.

We also didn’t order enough cards. But now we’d have to do another large order and spend more on too many cards because we don’t have the option for an “add on” since we already did a large order. It’s all silly really. But today we received a card from a family who didn’t make our cut this year due to not having enough cards. I immediately just said to my husband, “well maybe we’ll get it right next year.” This is my way of attempting to not let it add stress; not adding it to my already full backpack. Spoiler alert, stress still did creep into my body and mind.

What a way to start off the season.

GettyImages | Fotostorm

I was self-judging myself looking at our card today. Comparing myself to years past that I thought I looked better. I know this is so not the point of holiday cards so I was also battling with wanting to kick myself at the thoughts I was having.

Then something besides stress creeped in. Something much better and much more helpful.

The Holy Spirit.

In that moment, my mind went immediately to the story of Christmas. I immediately knew it was God telling me to knock it off. It was God reminding me that the true meaning this time of year is for us to reflect on the joy but also struggle that came with the birth of Jesus.

Yes, I am making a ridiculous comparison of my Christmas card struggles to the story of Christmas. I recognize this is absurd. But what is not absurd is that the Holy Spirit was absolutely able to stop me in my self-loathing tracks.

My stress was lifted because my mind reflected on Christmas. Not on cards or presents or to-do lists. But the story of Christmas. The story of the miracle that came but not without struggle.

And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn (Luke 2:7).

An angel appeared to nearby shepherds with “good tidings of great joy.” The angel told them the Son of God had been born, and they hurried to find their newborn Savior (Luke 2:8–16).

I write a letter to myself each December and put it away to then read the following year. This year, I might make a reminder to read it in the fall so I can remember to order more Christmas cards and to make sure I have multiple pictures to pick from so I can find one I am (somewhat) satisfied with. Maybe that way I can get that one thing right next year.

But I know the reality is there will be more things this year I don’t get just right. There will also be things next year I don’t get just right. There will continue to be things that bring me joy like a simple Christmas card but that may also come with some sort of downside. Even if it’s something petty like not loving a picture. We are human after all and those moments will happen.

GettyImages | Stacey Newman

I have had years where getting it right was about way bigger things than a card. Seasons where I honestly felt hopeless and suffocated by grief. In those times, it’s hard to think about things going right or about joy and peace on earth.

But when I allow the Holy Spirit to be heard, something amazing comes. Even if just for moments here and there.

Rejoicing this time of year at the story of Christmas brings me such immediate joy. It reminds me that most stories and seasons have some sort of challenges arise. But it can all be for the purpose of the ending in site. For Christmas, that was the miracle of the birth of Jesus.

I may not get it right this year. I may not get it right next year. But the life we have been called here for is not about perfection. We are not here to focus on trivial things; but it is so easy to get bogged down into that.

If you are struggling this season and feeling like you are just not getting things right; reflect on the story of Christmas. I pray that by doing so you can be wrapped in a feeling of immediate joy and hope.

And there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them (Luke 2:8-9).

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16)

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