Ever feel trapped?

So had to start off with some super cute pics of Joanna kissing herself in the mirror doors of our bedroom.  He he he- too cute to resist!!!

 Look who is eating the baby puff cereal things.  No idea what they are called, but they smell nice.  She LOVES them.  As in when we get them out she smiles real big and starts dancing :) 

 Here is what I really wanted to write about.  Do you ever have the feeling of being trapped?  I mean as in you thought you were going down the right path and just when you thought you had it figured out......well you end up like Joanna in the above pics.  You say to yourself how in the world did I end up here?  How does this happen?  I told myself that I wasn't going to do that again.  And you did......because- we are all human.

Sometimes this time of year feels like a trap.  I happen to LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!!!  I love the decorations, I love the candies, love the cookie making, love the lights, love the smells, and I don't even care that the stores are all filled long before most think about Christmas.....because in my heart that is when I get to really start thinking about Christmas.

BUT for many....and myself included.  We get trapped into thinking that things have to be just so.  Your cards have to be sent a minimum of 3 weeks before Christmas, your cards must have the perfect family picture in them, your cookies have to be perfect, your day has to be perfect, the time spent with relatives has to be perfect, your children have to act perfectly, and the list grows very LONG!!!  What happens when those things don't happen?  Well, we get disappointed and wait for the next Christmas to come along.  To try for yet another Perfect Christmas.

This can also be extremely hard for those who have lost family.  Because it can't possibly be perfect without them there.  It's true....it will never be the same.  Or for those without family......it is hard (and I am not just talking about orphans- but also those who do NOT have anyone and there are millions around us).

We face this constantly.  We have our family - yes.  BUT we rarely get to have family outside our 10 that are with us on Christmas due to distance.  So when you hear of everyone else you know having family over, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins......it is easy to feel disappointment.

Last year when we first found out that we might lose Naomi's referral- that CRUSHED our Christmas time.  We had very little hope that we would ever bring her home at that time.......and we were devastated.  Not a perfect Christmas.  The Christmas we were waiting for Andrew.......not a perfect Christmas because we were faced with the fact he may never get to come home to us.

BUT then there are the great Christmas' like when Andrew was home, and we brought home Matthew as well!  Or this Christmas when Joanna is with us!  Or when we got to fly out the day after Christmas to pick up Jonathan.  Or anytime you add more children- it adds more fun :)

 I guess my point is that Christmas really isn't about what we are facing at that moment.  Christmas is TRULY about CHRIST coming into our lives.  About remembering the first time we were ADOPTED into HIS FAMILY!  About knowing that even though we face hard times, disappointing times, and literally "deep dark valley" times God has come to us.  Knowing what we need.  He doesn't leave us on Christmas day because our day didn't go perfectly.  He doesn't stop loving us because we are pouting about our tough time dealing with relatives.  He doesn't say that because we made some horrible decisions this year you are on your own.

INSTEAD GOD SAYS- I LOVE YOU!!!!    Please allow me into your life.  Give me your sins, your hurts, your sorrows.  Let me exchange those for JOY!  Yes, true JOY that only comes from a savior who came as a baby.  Born to a young mother & probably scared father who were flat broke and far from home.  Who had a pretty rough start considering the circumstances.  He did this to come as one of us- human.  To show us that although we are human and fail we can live free.   HOW?  Because this same perfect Christ DIED for you after being beaten with whips, mocked by everyone, abandoned by his closest friends to bring you FORGIVENESS! 

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,  that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, would have everlasting life."  Take a lesson from Joanna.  When you are in a trap and you can't get out.  Let your Daddy rescue you :)