I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I had a terrific time with two of my three children. My other child could not make it back to Texas but I had fun sending all of his gifts to his home in Florida.

I enjoy the whole season of Christmas. All of the decorating, shopping and baking I do is fun but it is also a lot of work. This year on Thanksgiving I was exhausted and as I lay in bed on Christmas morning I was dreading the day. I knew I would work myself into a state of exhaustion.

As I was saying my morning prayers God must have sensed my apprehension about the day. I saw the essence of His Spirit transform the day into a miracle.

I always go all out when cooking for my family on holidays. I was planning to make two huge meals on this Christmas. I was planning a brunch and then also a Christmas dinner.

I don’t mind cooking. I actually love to cook but it is the cleaning up that I hate. My kitchen was still a mess from all of the baking I did for the neighbor gift bags I had just delivered the day before. Then after I made breakfast brunch there was just more added to it.

After we finished the brunch I lumbered into the kitchen to start cleaning up. My daughter and her boyfriend were close on my heels though. My daughter started washing the dishes, her boyfriend was helping. My daughter actually said, “You need to sit down and chill, Mom. Just relax. Put your feet up.”

My mouth dropped open as I realized I had no idea how to relax on Christmas. I scurried to my bedroom and started tidying up that room. Soon my kitchen was cleaned up and the children were ready to open the gifts. I went to the living room and plopped myself down in a lazy boy. My daughter was so sweet, she passed out all of the gifts.

We had a great time opening gifts and you know how the living room gets cluttered with paper and bows and boxes right? Well, not in my house, not this year. This year was different. My daughter, son and her boyfriend made sure that every scrap of gift wrap was thrown away and every box was stored.

My daughter even told me not to go all out on Christmas dinner. Her boyfriend and her were so kind to compliment me on the roasted potatoes. I had roasted both sweet and red potatoes and they said the dinner was much more organic than the potato casseroles I normally bake for holidays. My son wasn’t quite so thrilled but I told him if he came home for Easter he was sure to be able to partake in the sweet potato casserole I normally bake.

After the Christmas dinner my children were right back in the kitchen cleaning up again and at the end of the day I was tired but not exhausted.

My children, including my daughter’s boyfriend, made this Christmas one of the best ever. They gave me the most memorable and wonderful gift I have ever received. I hope I get this gift every Christmas from now one. The gift they gave me was “helping hands.” I am blessed beyond measure in every way.