dailydatewithgod

All I want for Christmas . . . so begins many a famous Christmas song.  I remember as a kid always wanting the doll or the toy I saw on TV or in a magazine.  The pure excitement over what it would be like to have it and the joy of finding it under the tree.  I also remember that within a few days, I did not seem to want it so much any more.  The specialness of the things I wanted so much seemed to dissipate.  As I grew up I it took me a while to learn from this experience.  It is easy to get hooked by something we see and are certain we want.  There is an impending feeling in our chest that vibrates in our system and we are certain it is caused by the thing or person or experience.  These days, I notice when I get hooked into wanting something and I can pause and ask what it is I really want.  Usually what I am grasping for is a feeling.   I believe in my mind that the thing, person, or experience will cause me to feel what I want to feel.  I want to feel joy, satisfaction, wonder, hope, safe, in awe, confident, sacred, happy, powerful, engaged, connected, and most of all alive.  God wants these same things for us and not just at Christmas time.  God is wanting all the variations of the life experience for us even when we are disconnected from our wanting.  He also knows we will not ultimately find the feeling of being fully alive from anything outside ourselves.  God placed within our hearts the very things we want most.  She invites us to take the time to get to know this truth of who we are.  Perhaps the power of Christmastime is in its gift of permission to reawaken our desire and wanting of aliveness.