Ah, the Christmas songs, the frantic shoppers, the crazy drivers, the sensation of money slipping through my fingers—these are all signs that the Christmas season has begun. During this time of year, I can sometimes feel overwhelmed and empty inside. And shouldn’t this be the happiest time of year when we celebrate our Savior’s birth?

I thought this year would be different because I have more free time on my hands since my retirement. But I still find myself scouring the ads, developing strategies to attack my Christmas shopping, and worrying about finding the perfect gifts that my family will love.

This morning during my Bible study, I ran across this sentence taken from THE ARMOR OF GOD by Priscilla Shirer, “The vacuum within our hearts can only be occupied by the one thing for which it was created: relationship and intimacy with God.” This sentence flew off the page and hit me on the head.

Sometimes I forget that God created me. He hardwired me to desire a relationship with him. And when I begin to feel empty inside, that’s code for I’m not spending enough time with God. During this time of year, I need to remember that it isn’t all about shopping for that perfect present, it’s about appreciating and being thankful for the present God gave the world—Jesus Christ.

So as I go about my business like Santa’s elf this month, the following two verses are going to help put things into perspective:

• Philippians 4:6 – “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

• Colossians 3:15 – “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”

As I put these verses into practice, I plan to be a patient driver, a courteous shopper, and I thankful daughter. Can anyone relate?

Sorry for the poor quality of the footage! I couldn’t edit my video.