Holiday spirit

Christmas is my favorite holiday season. However, as wonderful as all of the music, food, and beautiful decorations are, it's so easy to get caught up in the hassle, hustle, and bustle of frivolous details and anxieties that have nothing to do with the true meaning of the holiday itself.

I am so blessed in my life that sometimes I feel quite guilty about it. I've done many amazing things, traveled to incredible places, and continue to live each day in comfort and relative abundance. When I think of those who have so little (and not necessarily in far-off, third world countries, but right here in downtown Portland), my mouth goes dry and I get this huge lump in my throat.

I want this year to be different. I want to feel Christmas for what it is, share what it's about, and reflect the gift that it represents. Mercy, compassion, grace, and love. I want to bless other people, as I have been blessed.

Years ago, when I worked for Provenance Fine Art, our boss gave us a paid day to volunteer with Toys for Tots. We worked in the warehouse, sorting toys or taking families through the showroom to pick out gifts for their children. That experience has never left me, and lately I've been thinking about what I can do this year to help fill someone else's holidays with hope.

When I stop and think about just how much I take for granted, I am humbled and ashamed. I don't ever want to get to the point where I become ungrateful, focusing only on the things I don't have and can't ever obtain. I want to consider the needs of others first. It's definitely something to keep praying about. God has been leading me down a different path the last few weeks. I wonder where it will take me.