True confession:  This is about the exact week when I typically find myself morphing from the happy, care-free, "I love Christmas everything!!!!" Mom, to the stressed out, feeling behind, "I just want to get Christmas over with" Mom.  Yep.  Anyone with me?  As much as I love (truly, adore!) this season, I have learned that Christmas can bring up all kinds of hard emotions and dashed expectations, leaving us moms weary and worn. If you relate to this a little or a lot, today's episode (a replay from 2020) is for you. Alexandra Kuykendall joins us today with such a refreshing, endearing message about Loving Your Actual Christmas. Drawing from her book (by that name ;)) Alex reminds us that Christ did not come for the people who have it all together (if such people even exist!) but for the weary, grieving, and hurting. He came for us real people who sometimes struggle our way through the holidays. When we don’t have our act together, Jesus meets us in the most real way. Whether this Christmas finds you with joy and plenty, or grief and struggle (or any combination of things in between,) I think Alex's words about Jesus and Advent (and “Christmastide” – I learned something new!) will will be refreshing to your soul. www.monicaswanson.com/episode-188 Podcast page (for all episodes) www.monicaswanson.com/podcast