Not Your Hallmark Christmas
By Lisa Lakey
I love a good romance. I’m more than happy to curl up with a blanket and a bucket of popcorn and waste an entire day watching chick flicks. Throw in a snowy day, a Christmas mix-up, and a happy ending? You had me at Hallmark.
My husband, not so much. If nothing’s being blown up, shot down, or wrecked (apparently emotions don’t count here), he’s out.
That’s a pretty good picture of who we are.
I entered marriage with a Hallmark Christmas mentality. I wanted to experience love and laughter with a cute guy (nailed that part!) and experience my happily ever after. Sure, we’d have a few arguments here and there that would threaten to pull us apart, but we’d always find our way back to each other. We were “meant to be.”
The problem? Our life often looks more like an action film. There have been car wrecks, verbal blow-ups, and feelings of being shot down by the one we love the most. And y’all, it rarely even snows here.
But that’s reality. Hallmark movies, in all their fun, are fake. Reality? It’s not so bad. It’s been filled with laughs, romance, miracles, and struggles that made us stronger.
The problem would come if I compared my marriage (especially my husband and our romance level) to the fake standards of what I see in a Christmas flick.
My husband may not be an undercover prince with a castle in some unnamed European country, but he is a strong provider for our family, loves me despite my many faults, and gets my sense of humor. We may not have the mounds of snow, but we’ve shared carriage rides around a town square and snuggled by a fire during an ice storm (but then we lost power for two days and it was crazy cold).
Bottom line? Trade that Hallmark movie mentality for a real love story. Enjoy the romance flicks, but love your own romance more.
Feeling the holiday spirit? Here are “10 Ways to Prepare Your Heart for Christmas.”
The Good Stuff: And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” (Luke 2:10)
Action Points: Grab a couple of mugs of cocoa, curl up by the fireplace, and recall your own romantic moments. How did you meet? How did he propose? What stands out in your own life movie? Where have you seen challenges grow you more closely together?
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