Of Clogged Shower Drains, Crazy Schedules, and Christmas as a Time to Love

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I heard a rare note of horror in my dad’s voice as he peered through the opening to our upstairs bathroom pipes.

“Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no.”

He had been trying to fix our clogged shower drain—after I’d made it worse by trying to clean it out myself—and accidentally pulled something that caused all the dirty water backed up in the tub to suddenly drain into the ceiling space below, right above our living room.

I followed him clattering down the stairs, where we stared in horror at beaded lines of droplets forming on our already water-damaged ceiling and plip-plopping cheerfully to the floor. With no sign of stopping anytime soon.

And we were to host a Christmas party for our theater group that evening. In that living room. Of course.

With furniture moved and our living room rigged with a ladder, tarp, and space heater to try and cope with the situation, we headed off to move my sister home from college and prepare for both a play reading rehearsal and the party.

Yep. Quite a day.

It was easy to feel overwhelmed, to wonder how we could host a group with a plumbing crisis and a living room that looked like a remodeling zone. But by God’s grace, we just rearranged the furniture a bit and made a cozy circle around the Christmas tree on the unaffected side of the room. And you know what? It didn’t spoil the party at all. The fellowship and caroling and laughter and games and hot apple cider and goodies were just as sweet as if everything in our house had been perfect. And we were thankful, for God’s grace amid our mess.

This can be a crazy season….I’m realizing it this year more than usual. Often lately during the day I find myself feeling out of breath, even if I’m sitting down, because there is just so much to do, so many errands and projects to juggle, people to schedule time to see, calendar and to-do items to remember—and what if I forget something important?

And I know some people whose schedules make mine seem tame. Or they are dealing with not just hassles this season, but crises. Maybe that’s you.

Often in past holiday seasons, a simple song from the “Psalty’s Christmas Calamity” cassette tape I grew up on (any other 80s-born Psalty fans out there?) has helped reset my perspective. I even blogged about it back in 2011. But this year, I find I’m needing that reminder yet again. Probably I always will.

So I thought I’d share the song with you, through this video I found on Youtube. Maybe it will minister to you too.

For when we remember what is really important about this season, it is love. God’s love for us in sending Jesus into our messy world, which is why we celebrate Christmas anyway. And His foremost commandment, that we should love one another.

Lord, keep us from getting caught up and frazzled over what “really doesn’t matter”…because however cheesy it might sound, if Christmas isn’t a time to love, we aren’t really celebrating it at all.

What unexpected glitches have you encountered this Christmas season? How is the Lord helping you keep your focus on what’s most important? Please comment and share!