What type of a Christmas Shopper are you?

Do you have everything purchased and wrapped before Thanksgiving? Do you shop a little here and there all year? Do you wait until the last minute? Do you just wait and give them when you get around to it later?

I like to shop ahead - make my lists and give them to the grandmas...and then for some reason, it takes me several weeks to decide on the right gift - lots of purchases, lots of returns - and then when I am ready and have finally made up my mind...it is sold out everywhere! Funny! And inevitably, every Christmas I promise myself not to get the kid anything next year b/c they get so many gifts from everyone else! It feels so greedy...we really don't need anything - material anyway. I know I need more patience and discipline? Where can you buy those?

My five year old wants clothes and boots...How do these little girls just fall in love with fashion at 5???? She definitely has more fashion sense then me already!

I have learned that for a mom like me - shopping the midnight hours or the early morning hours are the BEST! No traffic, hardly any lines, nice unhurried people...Although some people prefer the crowds and the traffic. I lost my phone at Kohls a few days ago, but a nice lady found it and turned it in. Thank you nice lady!

I do love that at Christmas time we can share our love with other people by giving them gifts - whether gifts of time, handmade items, or some item we think they will like. Obviously Jesus Christ and the eternal life He offers us through His death, atonement, and resurrection is the greatest gift ever given.

I was thinking about Mary (His mom) the other day. There are several songs written about her (and Joseph for that matter) and I heard one while shopping. Can you even imagine what it would be like to be told that you would be having God's Son. That you would be impregnated without any physical contact. We get frustrated when our plans are not God's - but WOW! -that could've been quite the inconvenience. They were obedient and willing and trusting. Are we like that? Is our faith active and trusting and willing?

Hmmmm I am not sure about that...but I will work on that. Maybe I will ask God for an active faith this holiday and this year.