Bad Attitude Christmas

Santa came, he wears a brown suit and drives a UPS truck

Sounds of popping bubble wrap is the percussion to our daily song

And our room looks like Amazon vomited smiles all over it

It's Christmas time and I love everything about it

I love that it pairs well with baking, and cinnamon everything

I love the smells, the lights, the music

I love how people seem like they care a little bit more about people 

And I love the excuse to get caught up in the little things, like cutting snow flakes, and sticky fingers and sipping hot chocolate 

Making time to remember and to make memories

Today we cut down our tree

But the memory of how I felt on the inside looks something like this...

Aren't we pretty?

Oh don't worry there were about 17 other photos of us trying not to look irritated as well as a 24 second slow-motion video of us smiling - taken by our exceptionally sour (except for when he was trying to be funny) nine year old.

He didn't like the tree

EVERY tree he liked was still in the growing stage not marked for sale, or it was 18 ft tall 

Everything was taking to long, and yet he complained there wasn't enough time

He thought today was going to be "different" 

Well, SO DID I

And I just kept thinking how he was missing it

And ruining it for me...

Because I LOVE this stuff

And you only get Christmas once a year

So we took our compromise tree home 

And settled on this...

"Buddy, we're disappointed that you chose to see what was lacking instead of what we got to share.  We wish you would tell us what's going on inside of your brain.  We love that we had today and no matter how today went, we love you.  We love you because you're ours.  And there's no good you can do to make us love you more, nor could any bad attitude, rebellion, or failure ever make us love you less." 

And as we read our Advent verse that told us of the coming of Christ it sank in deep

He loves me

Patient, Powerful Creator, God loves me

Not because I'm kind, or good, or worth it

And in spite of me being short tempered, selfish, stubborn and broken

He loves me because I'm His

And He came because I needed Him

No good I can do to make Him love me more

No bad attitude or rebellion or failure could ever make Him love me less

Because I am Him - He loves me

And He loves you too