2D1: After Reading Discussion Question #1

[TreyAndKrys]

What is your vision of a perfect Christmas? What imperfect
circumstances will you face this year that will challenge your ability
to celebrate Christmas fully?

[DAVEOJ1]

I learned a long time ago, that there is no such thing as a "perfect"
Christmas. No matter how you envision it, something will go wrong,
from a family disagreement to burning the meat, nothing will ever go
as your want it to. So, you learn to live with what you get, and to
celebrate what you have. In a perfect world, you would have the
family gathered, everyone would get along, and all the gifts would be
just what you wished for. In reality, the family is scattered across
the country,( and even if they got together, something would spark a
disagreement), the gifts are often not any where close to what you
want, but are someone else's idea of what they wanted you to have
(actually what they would like to have, but they are too afraid to buy
for themselves). So you make the best of what you get. For Donna and
I that means spending Christmas with just each other (funny how on the
back end of life you wind up in the place where you started) and with
phone calls home to family. I usually cook, and we spend the day as a
day of pure rest. I am sure that this year, the one overhanging
thought will be the back surgery that I am having on Wed. after
Christmas, that seems to be a major focus for us this month.

[trey_kyle]

When I was a child, Christmas just happened. It was always an amazing
time of year. But as I grew older, I realized how much work and
effort went in to making Christmas "just happen." But if we are in
the constant pursuit of this elusive perfect Christmas, we will be
frustrated when it doesn't go our way.

I will try to remember that if something doesn't go my way, that it is
just that...my way.

On Dec 5, 11:18 pm, TreyAndKrys <treyandk...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Krystina Kyle]

Well, Trey and I are facing a huge life change. We are awaiting the
arrival of our son and we know that he will change everything, I am
not sure that there is a perfect Christmas. I think the Christmas
story reminds us that things were far from perfect for Mary and Jesus
when he was born. I do enjoy having friends and family around at the
holidays. I like throwing parties and having people over for dinner
and Christmas cookie making. I also love going to Disneyland to see it
all decorated and snowing on main street... this year I am just not
able to do all these things, we are consumed with getting ready for
the baby and now my doctor has ordered me to rest...I may even be in
the hospital on Christmas day....

The really interesting thing is that all of our family is on the east
coast...we usually travel to them...this year they are all gathering
for the holiday and we will be on our own for the holiday with a new
baby...they aren't coming for the babies birth until after the new
year because of holiday travel costs but I have to admit that it is a
little hard to face the holiday without family, without being able to
hosts friends either, and also the challenge of having a new baby...It
is a blessed year and we have many special things happening. We get to
share the Christmas story with Mary and Joseph in a unique way...that
is what I am focusing this year...it is also my challenge.