Christmas is ...joy.

Our grand finale guest blogger is none other than, Rachel.

You know her from No. 17 Cherry Tree Lane.

You probably know her as the brain child behind Blog Sugar.

Rachel is rad. 

I love how she writes from the heart. She writes what she believes and she is 100% on fire for God. 

The word JOY is synonymous with Christmas. At least it is for me.

Each year, around August, I start to get a flutter in my stomach at the thought of the upcoming months. It's certainly isn't because Christmas is the time of year when everything is perfect, because you and I both know that anything that can happen will. Life, circumstance and trials will always seep into everyday fabric but what is perfect about Christmas is the lingering effect it seems to have on people. It may only last for a moment or two....maybe a week or maybe the entire season but there are glimmers of humanity, peacefulness, kindness and Christ-centered love.

It's really amazing and sometimes it makes me wonder, "why can't it be like this ALL the time?"

I mean it can but most of the time it isn't. The tree gets put away and so do our kind hearts. Or joyful spirit. Our sense of utter amazement with the Lord and what He has given us. We go back to life and the ho hum and we seem to forget the JOY of the nativity.

Each year, my family decorates our Christmas tree, the day after thanksgiving. We drive down the street, find the "perfect" Douglas (this year, flocked) and we tie it to the top of the car. Once home, we turn on Christmas music and start hanging the ornaments. And the next moment is what I wait for all. year. long.

The song "O Holy Night" comes on. Track 3.

The tears start to well up in my eyes and the lump in my throat feels the same as last year. Huge. Swelling. Making it hard to conceal my passion, pain, awe and JOY.

"Fall on your knees....

Oh hear the angels voices. O night divine....O night. That Christ was born...."

The joy in my heart is indescribable, each and every year. It wells up inside and it stays and grows and is bottled up but then released and hopefully spills into my every action.

The moment when the ornaments are making their way from the box, to the tree and Track 3 comes on is a yearly reminder to be JOYful. Stay JOYful. Practice being JOY.

Let's be JOYfilled with family (even those that hurt us).

Let's be JOYfilled with pain (the ever so evasive trials of life).

Let's be JOYfilled with our home (and use its meager humbleness to reflect the Lords simplicity).

Let's be JOYfilled in our actions (and do unto others).

Let's be JOYfilled in giving (and have it revolve around how much the Lord has given us).

Let's be JOYfilled in our moments (the small and the big).

Let's be JOYfilled in stillness (and reflect).

Christmas is JOY. There's no other way to describe it that is so fitting.

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So, there you have it. An intentional joy-filled Christmas.

Are you ready now for having a Christmas filled with what it really should be?

So, now it is back to you.

What is Christmas to you?

Grab the button, link up your post and celebrate all of this Christmas spirit.
It could be a tour of your home, a family tradition, a sparkly outfit, a yummy dinner, Christmas craft.
Or, it could be something simple.

Did you get in on the giveaways this week?
Winners will be announced on Monday.

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