The smell of freshly baked Christmas cookies fills the house, the tree sparkles, and the whole family is together, laughing and smiling. Everything is perfect.

I work hard, but Christmas demands even more. I fall into thinking if I can just have a “Hallmark Christmas,” I will have the peace of perfection.

And yet, every year there is a feeling of failure, even despair. With my eyes on earthly things, I am not enough. Even what I do perfectly doesn’t bring the satisfaction I desire.

In Colossians 3:2 God gently calls me to let him change my perspective. My heavenly Father knows I am not perfect, but he loves me as his child, made perfect by the blood of my Savior.

Suddenly the Hallmark Christmas becomes less important. Luke 2 reminds us God sent his Son to live perfectly because we can’t. He died to pay the price of our imperfections. He rose again, victorious over all my failures.

Christmas is only the beginning. Jesus will come again to bring me home to heaven, or I will die in peace and be taken to my perfect heavenly home.

When I focus on things above, I find true peace and joy. My despair disappears. I can’t be perfect, but God’s love for me is.