By Julie Lavender @JLavenderWrites

Hot chocolate topped with whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate sauce and a large marshmallow.

Live cedar and spruce trees bedecked with twinkling lights and fragile ornaments.

Smiling gingerbread cookies.

Christmas carols humming from ceiling speakers.

Every nook and cranny of the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina boasted of Christmas. Nothing new for the now-historical landmark built in 1913. The holiday season bursts onto the pages of the old Inn by the end of October each year.

Except, not last year. Hurricane Helene redesigned the plans of the hotel. The devastating storm changed the face of the entirety of Western North Carolina. One historical event altered the lives of much of the eastern coast of America.

Which made this year’s celebration electric and palpable. Giddy visitors gathered next to the fireplace and chatted with other patrons like they were old friends reuniting. Grove Park Inn staff members greeted guests with gusto. Entertainers belted out past hits.

Old memories surfaced; new ones took shape.

[tweet_box design=”default” float=”none” inject=”#Writing #BRMCWC #Writinglife”]Writer, Anticipate His Birth; Await His Return by @JLavenderWrites on @BRMCWC[/tweet_box]

As writers who peck away at the computer in the comfort of our home – or wherever we like to write – we can often get so wrapped up in our work, trying to meet a deadline or finish a new proposal, that we don’t take time off to truly enjoy the holidays. We “work from home” on our own hours, so we can squeeze in writing late at night or early in the morning or throughout the day and even on the weekends.

And we just keep on writing.

Not that persistence is a bad quality to have as a writer, but are we honoring God and our family if we push through the holidays without a break?

What if we put our writing aside – just for a bit – and focused on Christ this Christmas instead.

What if we treated every Christmas as the return of a grand celebration? What if the anticipation of Jesus’ birth felt palpable and electric throughout the season? What if the promise of hope coming in the form of a babe in a manger tantalized, teased, and heightened the senses such that every moment, every meeting, every experience, and every gathering brought giddiness and joy?

That feeling shouldn’t be out of reach. As believers, we should put forth the effort with intentionality to keep Christ at the forefront of each day of December (as well as every month of the year). Despite the chaotic busyness of the seasons, we should strive to dwell on the Advent of our Savior’s birth – the historical event that altered the world so many years ago, yet continues to change the face of eternity in the present as well.

Enjoy hot chocolate on a cold evening. Take in the aroma of cedar trees and gingerbread guys. Let twinkling lights dazzle and impress. Hum Christmas carols on key or not.

But remember the reason for the season. Anticipate Jesus’ birth; await His return. Boast of Christmas throughout Advent and allow the giddiness to spill over into the new year, too.

And … when that new year begins, then we can jump back into whatever writing project we put aside to enjoy the holidays.

Julie Lavender worked on the computer for many nights until the wee hours of the morning to complete her newest book, Raising Good Sons: Christian Parenting Principles for Nurturing Boys of Faith and Characterthat releases the second week of April. Julie co-authored the book, published by Penguin Random House, with her hubby, David. It’s their first faith-based collaborative effort, though they’ve also recently written twenty-two books for the children’s educational market. Julie is also the author of A Gingerbread House, published by End Game Press.