Christmas Day

So, I've finally figured out why this season is so hard for people, including me. It's a season of expectation, a season like none other. We expect great parties, true friendship, exquisite gifts and most of the time are met with frustrated, unmet expectations. Our parties fizzle, our friends let us down, and the gifts aren't quite as great as we thought they'd be. Families are supposed to shine at this time and our dads get irritable because too many people are around, mom is disappointed that dad isn't happier and the kids are upset that everyone is upset.

At least, that's how its been this year. Things are "supposed" to go a certain way, and when they don't, I get mean because I am frustrated. My expectations lead me one way, reality another. A friend's words haunt me "Expect nothing and you'll never be disappointed." Problem is, how do you expect nothing this time of year?

Christ calls out to me then. Expect me, see great things and expect great things from me. Heck, even Jesus was disappointed when he realized what he would have to do with his life, but he did it anyway, and look at the history he created. What a glorious day! What Mary must have expected -- to be told she would give birth to a king -- and then she ends up in a stable with stinky animals. She expected to lay the king in velvet, I bet, and she lay him in rags in a feeding trough. And Joseph -- he waited all that time and forwent his pride to usher a king into the world. He wanted more for his son, at least a hotel room, yet they turned him away. How sadly disappointing.