The Babe + the Glitter

Every year (it seems) I come to this moment where I think about what I want Christmas to look like.

It seems so easy to fly into Christmas-mode after the turkey is eaten and get transported to Christmas-land where there is is an abundance of holiday cheer, bows, glitter, and Christmas lights. Not to mention fudge :)

It's so easy to get pulled into everything Christmas and forget about the basics.

The simple and profound truth that Jesus arrived as a babe to save us. 

One of my new favorite songs during the Christmas season is called "Born to Die" by Shane and Shane.

Here are the lyrics. Soak them up. 

When the babe was born
In a manger on the hay
God saw a veil torn
He saw Good Friday
He was born to die

Gold laid before the Christ
Incense, His presence is sweet
Myrrh to signify
Victory over death's sting
He was born to die

It came in a dream
To Joseph late one night
That Herod sought the King
But could not take His life
He was born to die

He said, "You don't take my life
You won't take my life
You don't take my life
I lay it down"

We came here today
To celebrate His birth
But let us not forget
Why Jesus came to earth
He was born to die

He was born to die
He was born to
He was born to die

It's even prettier to listen to :) (ps. you have to get to about 2 minutes in to hear the song).

For me, celebrating Christmas is multi-layered. I love to listen to the classic, bake cookies, decorate, buy gifts, enjoy family, wish for snow (in Texas!), watch the holiday classics, and do all those other "Christmasy" things. I truly think those are all good things.

But I don't want these good and fun things to cloak the beauty of this season. I don't want to miss out on the expectancy and joy that celebrating Christ's birth brings.

So, I need to hear from you. What ways do you keep Jesus above all the other holiday glitter? I'd love to know?