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It is early Christmas Eve morning.  Today will be a busy day.  I have the last of my holiday baking to complete, the last of the gift wrapping, some light housekeeping, and food preparation for tonight and tomorrow, and a Christmas Eve Service to attend…..enough to keep me very busy all day….enough to keep my thoughts on anything but Jesus Christ our Savior, whose birth we celebrate!  Yet as I plan my day out I think of how I have worked this past week doing similar tasks each day, while setting my mind on God and his kindness towards us.  I am comforted to know that it is possible to be busy with my hands yet to also meditate on God….do all things for His glory. 

So as I begin this day, I ask God to help me to focus on Him throughout my day and to conduct myself in a way that is pleasing to Him.  I purpose in my heart to remain calm, even if I am feeling tired, stressed or the cookies burn.  I purpose to show my family the love of Jesus when I greet them as they wake up….no matter how late my young adult children decide to wander into my kitchen.  And I plan for a specific time of quiet and meditation to commune with God alone before the business begins. 

To anyone reading this, I wish to say that I am proud to be a Christian; even though I am embarrassed at times at how I have acted or other Christians have acted.  I am thankful for my walk with God and the strength and purpose it gives to my life.  I am also hoping that if you have chosen a different faith to follow, that my words and thoughts have not offended you.  Rather I hope you will agree that all of us in our humanness often get wrapped up in the trivial matters of life.  We all need to seek out ways to bring us back to what we think is most important.  For me, art is a way to do that.  When I am sitting at my dining room table in the morning, I often focus on a little painting of a lovely garden that I have on the wall.  I find doing that helps me to quiet myself and listen to God.  Even if the wind and snow are blowing outside, I find myself mentally transported back to that lovely spring day, sitting in the garden, when I did that painting…and peace flows into me. 

I thank God for giving us all the amazing gift of his only Son!  I thank him for the freedom I have to write this and to worship as I choose to.  I thank him for giving us each so many other indescribable gifts, family, love, peace, laughter and passion.  And I thank him for allowing me to express my creativity through my art work!   No matter what you are in the midst of, realize that God is there with you.  And remember you never have to worry about Him being too busy to listen to you!