I use to start playing Christmas music in early October.

Decorating the house for the holiday season by Evan's birthday (which is today) was a definite accomplishment.

I loved having the house, inside and out, filled with lights and the Christmas spirit in time for his birthday party every year.

Nick's last holiday season we went over the top with outside lights and inside trees in early November.

I wanted Nick to enjoy every single ounce of holiday spirit he could.

Time has passed though.

Nick isn't here to get excited about Christmas with us.

All my other "little ones" have grown into teens and twenty-somethings,

and I find myself talking about when I will "pull all the Christmas decorations out."

There's something about the word "pull" that sounds like work,

and I don't want to feel this way.

I love the Christmas season.

I love sitting in a dark room with only the lights of the Christmas tree blinking near me.

I love long evenings with Christmas movies that make me laugh or cry or both.

Today, I'm letting go of the word "pull" and looking for a new word.

I want to dive into the Christmas decorations.

I want to go head first into my attic and hunt for treasures to sprinkle throughout my house.

I want to embrace the season because it truly is the only reason I can face my daily life with Hope and Joy.

I carry Christmas with me all year long because Jesus is more than the reason for the season.

He is the reason for my life, my joy, my smile.

So, I'm officially DONE with the phrase "pulling Christmas out."

Today, on Evan's 24th birthday, I am celebrating not only the gift of his precious life but also a transformed way of facing the holidays.

Be watching for Christmas photos of the Nischan house.

I'll be diving into the attic soon!

If there's a part of your life that seems hard right now,

challenge yourself to replace the hard words with new, energized, purposeful words and face your situation with a new mindset.

No matter what you're facing today,

whether it's something as routine as decorating for the holidays or something as painful as dealing with grief,

you have the power to face it with strength, courage, hope, joy, and determination.

But "what you think" has to change before "how you act" will change.

Proverbs 23:7a

For as he thinks in his

heart, so is he.

(Amplified Bible)

Praying for you today.

Praying you can transform your heart, your mind, and your thoughts,

so that you can live victoriously knowing you do not face today alone.