I just spent time tonight with some of the most wonderful people on the planet at our Five Minute Friday party. 
We gather together on Twitter each Thursday night, as we share and get to know each other. Tonight’s subjects were everything from being a #crazylady, to chocolate, to visiting Costa Rica. Goodness, we have a good time.
It’s also the time we find out this week’s Five Minute Friday prompt. We free-write (no concern for grammar, spelling, punctuation) for five minutes on our blogs or in our journals, and meet back up to share our imperfect writing at Kate Motaung’s. Please join us. It’s freeing, fun and a great way to express yourself. If you don’t have a blog, I invite you to share yours in my comments space below.
Here goes!
This week’s word:
–PREPARE–
Two weeks from today is Christmas.
Two weeks.
Are you ready?
We have much to do in two weeks, don’t we? Or wait. Maybe you’re more organized than me and have everything done. Maybe you use your time a little more wisely, and you find yourself with extra of it on your hands.
If you are and you do, I’m glad you’re my friend. And if you aren’t and you don’t, I’m still glad you’re my friend!
(I’m thankful for you today, no matter how far you are in your holiday preparations.)
I think about all I have to prepare, and if I think on it too long, I get overwhelmed.
Christmas this year: Less stress and more love. (#lessstressmorelove) I don’t want to be stressed this season.
Christmas shouldn’t be stressful. If anyone had a reason to stress on Christmas, it would have been Mary and Joseph. Birthing the King of kings in a stable?? On hay? With animals? Stressful isn’t a word that comes to mind when we read the account of Jesus’ birth. Beautiful, magnificent, holy, joyful? Yes. But stressful? No.
We don’t need to be stressed either.
Instead of focusing on preparing the “stuff” for Christmas, what if we focused on preparing our hearts?
Below might help. This suggested reading list is from the weekly Bible study I’m in, and it blesses me to read through them each Christmas. You can read the passages yourself, read them with your spouse, with your kids, or with your entire family.
It’s the perfect way to prepare your heart.
A Savior King Is Promised — Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; Jeremiah 23:5; Micah 5:2-5a
The Angel Visits Mary — Luke 1:26-38
The Angel Visits Joseph — Matthew 1:18-25
The Trip to Bethlehem and Stable Lodging — Luke 2:1-7
The Christ Child Is Born — Luke 2:6-7
The Angels Visit the Shepherds — Luke 2:8-14
The Shepherds Visit the Manger — Luke 2:15-18
The Wise Men Travel to Jerusalem — Matthew 2:1-8
The Wise Men Worship the Christ Child — Matthew 2:9-12
The Trip to Egypt — Matthew 2:13-15
May God bless you as you prepare your heart for the birth of our Savior. May this be a Christmas we’ll each remember because we didn’t get lost in the “stuff.”
STOP.
(Okay, I went seven minutes by adding the scriptures in.) Looking forward to celebrating a blessed Christmas with you!
Much love,
Julie
I think mine too about seven minutes, too ;). But who’s keeping track?! Thank you for the helpful list of scriptures. I’ll use those for my study time tomorrow :). Hugs to you, my friend! Enjoy your less stress, more blessed season!
Still working on the less stress, more blessed season. Lost it today… Glad God redirects our focus, just when we need it. Blessings to you today, dear friend!
So true Julie! Let’s not worry about the stuff and prepare for the birth of this precious holy child.
Amen, Tara! Amen!
I LOVE the graphic *just tweeted it!) and the verses you added along with the concept of preparing our hearts! SO perfect friend! Thank you!
Bethany, thank you! Still preparing my heart. God bless you, friend!
Two weeks to Christmas…and I’m ready, because there’s no preparation.
The normal schedule will go on, has to go on…when you’ve got 26 dogs, their care is not subject to a holiday.
But they do make me think. I wonder how they would have done, most of them Pit Bulls, gathered around the manger?
Easy. The first Pit I ever owned set the tone. He was a rescue, with a horrible scar on his head and only one eye, and huge. People crossed the street to avoid us when we walked together, He had an expression that looked as if you owed him a LOT of money.
One day we were walking, and a lady turned out of a ‘blind’ driveway, pushing a pram. Immediately my dog was up, paws hooked over the edge, tail waving.
The lady screamed, and then heard the child laughing, for his face was being very thoroughly washed, Pit Bull style.
Yeah, I think my guys now would do okay. We’d have the cleanest Lord and Saviour ever,that’s for sure.
Adorable thought, Andrew. Your dogs sound like they are true gifts to you! Blessings!
I wonder how prepared Mary and Joseph were to be blessed with the KING!
Good thought, Paula. I wonder too. So glad we can celebrate this wonderful gift to the world. Praying your celebration is all of Him this season! Blessings.
Don’t you just love our little circle of crazy ladies? 😉 I know I do. And thank you for taking the extra time to add the Scriptures in. I feel like I am needing a lot of hand holding to keep my focus this Advent. Someone telling me, “Do this.” I’ll take your help!
Yes, absolutely, Colleen. I love our circle of crazy ladies! Glad we can help each other along in keeping focused on Advent, and not on the stuff. Praying your week is blessed!
Thank you for the scripture list and the panic reminder that I only have 2 weeks and have not even started my shopping. OH NO !!!!
Sorry for the panic, Amy! God’s in control. No need to fret, right?? Hope you’re having a wonderful week!
All kinds of lovely, my friend!!!
As you are, as well. Blessings, Karrilee!
Thank you for treasure of God’s word today, Julie! Always wonderful to anchor ourselves there as we prepare our hearts for this season. Especially when our tree isn’t up and no shopping has been done – glad I’m still you’re friend! Blessings, FMF neighbor.
The anchor of God’s Word carries me through my days, and it sounds like it does the same for you, Tiffany. Trees and shopping really are less important when we keep our focus on the Heart of the season. Glad you’re my friend too! Have a blessed week!
Julie! Hi from your fellow Iowa friend! I haven’t joined in FMF for a couple of weeks because of moving, but alas we’ve now moved into DM and the computer is set up. I’m so glad I stopped by today! I love that you posted some scriptures to ponder during this season. I do not have an advent devo, so I think I’ll take you up on these!!
May we all be ready to prepare Him room this Christmas! Blessings to you, Julie!
Anne
Anne, I’m thrilled to read you’ve completed your move. May settling go well for you and your family! Yes, may we each prepare Him room this Christmas. So glad to see you here. Blessings to you, friend!
I love this! Yes, I wish we could all slow down. Unfortunately, I think we live in a society that hardly ever lends itself to a slow, thoughtful pace. Thank you for sharing the scripture list as well!
Liz
Hi Liz! Maybe if enough of us intentionally slow down we might have an impact on our little corners of the world at least. Maybe? Thank you for stopping by. Have a great week!