Christmas is less than a week away…five days to be precise! All of a sudden, we went from pumpkin spice, turkey, and pie and then WHOA! It’s lights, music, gifts, wrapping paper, bills, budgeting, more lights, parties, sweets, baking, making, and of course more sweets! It’s like a swirling dervish of lights, ornaments, cookies, and wrapping paper.

I don’t know about you, but it seems like life goes from 0 to 60 in only a couple of days. Calm to organized chaos! From I am so thankful for my family to ahhhhh! What am I going to get Aunt Cindy and Grandma for Christmas? And wait, what do you mean the lights from last year don’t work?

It’s a time of year when we’re surrounded by distractions and we’re pulled in just about every direction possible due to holiday and family commitments. And yes, I love those commitments. I mean, I’m not about to say no to the desserts that fill our tables this time of year.

But…I want to show you a picture:

Simple, isn’t it?

It didn’t start out with lots of Christmas lights or wrapping paper. It started with straw. With a mom about to give birth in hay. And when the angels told Mary she was to give birth to a king, I’m sure she wasn’t thinking in a stable! But a stable and straw it was.

So amid all the shopping, cookies, and Christmas lights, find time to enjoy the simple, because the Savior of the world came by simple means.

Remember the Christmas carol?

Away in a manger

No crib for His bed

The little Lord Jesus

Lay down His sweet head

The stars in the sky

Look down where He lay

The little Lord Jesus

Asleep on the hay

Of all the people who deserve Christmas pomp, it’s Jesus. But our Savior humbly laid his little head on hay. Our Savior in such simple beginnings…all for His love for us.

So as we delight in the lights, family, friends, and saying YES to the amazing Christmas desserts, remember the simple manger.

Remember the Savior.