I have this love/hate thing with winter. On one hand, I love the change of pace, feeling something other than just hot and muggy outside. But on the other, I sometimes can't stand the feeling cold, tired, and sad from the short days and weather outside. Truth is, the "winter whites" often just give me the winter blues. And it's not even cold enough here to have a real "white" winter.

Maybe this season is just affecting me differently this year. I don't know what it is, but no matter how much I try the warmth of Christmas doesn't feel so present in my heart these past couple of weeks. I've done all the right things to make it feel like Christmas - decorated, looked at lights, listened to festive music, read the part of the Bible when Jesus comes to earth as a baby. But this year it just doesn't feel right. It's even finally cold enough out to feel like Christmas, but something about it just doesn't.

Have you ever had times like this? Maybe you're feeling the same way right now. It could be the quick pace that has everyone going crazy just trying to get it all done before Christmas. Or the terrible traffic and lines at every store you go into. Or maybe you just feel lonely this year - you could have people around you and still feel this way, or maybe you really are alone and just need someone to keep that feeling away.

Whatever it is that has you down, even if you're like me and can't put your hand on a certain reason for it, take some time out to just slow it down and really dwell on Christmas and what it is we celebrate the holiday for. We often get so caught up in the presents, the parties, even the people, that we forget that it's not actually all of those things that matter so much as it is Jesus coming here to this earth, coming to bring grace and joy and peace, coming to save us from who we were and the path we were going down. He came so we don't have to feel this way. We no longer have to feel guilty or sad. Of course sometimes it's healthy to feel different emotions and cry it all out. But remember that you don't have to do it alone.

As the winter whites turn into winter blues, take some time to sit with Jesus for a while and cry to him. He's listening, and His heart is ready to take on whatever is weighing down yours. Don't be afraid to cry and don't be afraid to talk to Him, really just pour it all out. After all, He was once human too. He knows what you're going through, the emotions that are taking your heart captive. And He is kind-hearted, loving, and capable of taking that hurt upon Himself so you don't have to feel like this anymore. 
{For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit / 1 Peter 3:18}