A few years ago I missed Christmas.

Actually, I was present for the opening of the gifts and the decorating of the tree; I was busy doing, doing, doing the whole season, but I missed Christmas. Let me explain what I mean:

At the time, I was co-leading our church’s children choir. We had a group of kids that had worked very hard memorizing songs and lines that told the Christmas story. It was of course super cute being filled with lots of cute little kids who missed lines and got the occasional word mixed up. Each year our choir performed our musical at our church on a December Sunday morning, but we also took our choir to an orphanage of sorts that our church supported. Each year the organization held a Christmas party to thank those who worked for and supported the orphanage. Our choir filled stockings for the adults who were being thanked, played with the kids on the campus there, did our play for the group, then drove the 2 ½ hours back home – stopping and filling the kids up on pizza, then came home exhausted.

I was also part of an adult choir who took our Christmas production outside of our church walls. We put our stage on wheels (a trailer pulled by a member’s truck) and went into the local neighborhoods to do our musical in hopes of reaching out to those who wouldn’t usually set foot in a church building. We went out Friday and Saturday of the first 3 weekends then performed in our church on the Sunday morning before Christmas.

I was crazy busy. I was exhausted. I was stressed out. The day after Christmas I woke up depressed. Now, I know that the day after Christmas is always a bit gloomy with a presentless tree, but this was different. Christmas was over and I had missed SO much. I was busy; I was doing, doing, doing; but I missed so many things with my kids. Don’t get me wrong, the doing was good but it wasn’t right.

Remember the account of Mary and Martha in the book of Luke? You know the story: Jesus was visiting his friends and Martha got upset that her sister was simply sitting at the feet of Jesus while she was doing all the work. Read Luke 10: 38-42 really quickly if you don’t remember. I always felt sorry for Martha. Now, I had played that role. See, Martha was doing. Doing is necessary. Doing is good. But sometimes it’s not right. Martha was so busy doing that she was missing out on time with Jesus himself. The Messiah was literally sitting in her house and she was missing Him. I understand that they needed to eat; I understand that they needed to drink; I understand the role that Martha was to play in her culture; but she was missing her time with The Lord of Lords, The King of Kings!!

I didn’t have Jesus sitting in my house, but I did miss out on sweet fellowship time with Him. I was part of presenting the Truth of who He is to others, but I never took time to praise Him myself.

I told my husband that I would not be doing anything the following year unless it included the whole family. I want my kids to remember my presence more that the presents when the think back on their time as kids and Christmas.