The trouble with things that are familiar, things we are used to, is the difficulty of recognizing when we have made a mistake, or when things have changed. We get into patterns and habits that are comfortable and cozy and quite frankly don’t require us to really think. We got this! We know how this goes! We skim over the verse, sing the song from memory, nod to the box we put that person in so long ago. Probably even smile.
And then! The Christmas carol gets an updated version which starts out very familiar and then suddenly goes off into a different key with some added words and, good grief, that note is a quarter note not a long drawn out whole note! How did that even happen?
The priest looks up the Hebrew definition of the most common word in the Christmas story scripture and all of the sudden the manger just moved inside to the first floor of a relative’s house. Or something like that. I’m still back trying to figure out what happened to O Holy Night.
There is nothing wrong with traditions. They often provide a foundation from which to operate. But when we allow ourselves to perform rather than abide, to glide past the wonder and the awe of Emmanuel, God with us, then our traditions have blinded us to what our hearts need.
“ Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store”, or from presents or figgy pudding – whatever the heck that is, or carols, or even, gasp, Santa! “Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more,” per The Grinch.
What am I holding on to that is blinding me in this season?
Just Sayin' 
I love this Mary Lou, thank you so much for all your postings. Have a wonderful, Marry Christmas.