preparing for the hoildays

 
Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
- Luke 1:38 (NKJV)
 
We are definitely in full preparation mode this time of year. We might go a little crazy decorating—the inflatables alone are kind of over the top with a 20-foot snowman, a 20-foot Santa, a 10-foot Christmas tree, a talking, singing, joke-telling snowman head, and lights all over the house. It’s a lot… and I love it.
But if no other decorations go up, there are two things that will always find a place: my willow tree in memory of my dad, and the nativity scene.
Those two things say everything about what this season really means to me—remembrance and Jesus.
Mary’s words in this verse always stop me in my tracks: “Let it be to me according to Your word.” She didn’t have a perfectly decorated home or a neatly wrapped plan. What she had was a willing heart. A heart that said yes to God even when the future looked uncertain and overwhelming.
We can prepare every inch of our homes and still forget to prepare our hearts. We can hang the lights, wrap the gifts, fill the calendar—and still miss making room for peace, humility, surrender, and worship.
Let's stop and ask God to help us prepare our hearts for Him above everything else this season. Let our "yes" be genuine, our focus be right, and our hearts be ready. What if our greatest preparation this season isn’t what goes on the outside of our homes… but what we allow God to do on the inside of our hearts?
 
#dailybreadbykitty
Daily Inspiration from the Bible