Day 26

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPMWaW065bY

Since I was a little girl, I’ve loved watching the Radio City Rockettes. I’m enamored by their pose and glamor. But what I love the most about the Rockettes is their precision and cleanliness.

There is a reason why the Rockettes are so good —practice, practice, practice. These dancers rehearse six days a week for more than 6 hours to ensure their performances go perfectly. They carefully plan for all kinds of snafus, such as injury, music and lighting issues, and costume mishaps.

Jesus’s birth was anything but clean, carefully planned, or perfect. There were no rehearsals and no thunderous applause. The Savior was born in a dirty barn, with an audience of animals and shepherds, but in its own way, it was perfect.

This Advent and Christmas season, know that just like Jesus’s birth, “perfect” can be messy. Accept that things may not go as planned. You may not get the perfect family picture, or the weather may interrupt your travel plans. Your home may not be squeaky clean when your family arrives, or your Christmas letter might be more of a New Year’s letter. When you’re celebrating the birth of Christ it’s all beautiful, and it’s all perfect.

by Jenny Crumrine