The holidays are messy. Families are messy. People are stressed and in perpetual pursuit of the recreated perfect memory that really was not but has become idealized. We do this to ourselves — did I spend too much or too little, debt, guilt, grief, depression, worry, frenzy, and then before we know it, the lights come down, the trash packed away, and the tree is packed away in the attic.

It does not have to be that way.

The first Christmas was a mess, too. In Bethlehem, a husband and very pregnant wife found no room at an inn. The mother had to give birth in a food trough and then spent the next several months entertaining random strangers swinging by to see her child. Many of us do not want people in our houses until everything is tidy, mopped, and dusted. Poor Mary was in a manger, then somewhere else, but definitely not her own home.

Christmas should be a simple season, but we complicate the mess. The messiness, however, will one day be made clean. Right now, however, we can do our small part of merely doing as Christ commanded — loving our neighbors. This holiday season, the perfect gift might be a smile and eye contact with some random person with an unknown burden who needs to see a friendly face. If you know of someone alone this holiday season, check in on them. Maybe invite them into your mess. Don’t clean up. Let them see you, too, live a messy life, not a perfectly curated social media life.

Do not burden yourselves with a quest for perfection this Christmas. Unburden yourself. The greatest gift was given the first Christmas. You can’t match it. Stop trying. But you can give the gift of kindness to others. In our crazy, messy world, that gift matters.

By Shaun Sima
https://chef-pocket.com/aboutme

In a world where sleep is often regarded as a mere necessity, it’s time for a revolution—a sleepy rebellion, if you will. We’ve been doing it all wrong, and insomnia? It’s not a curse; it’s our silent protest against the outdated norms of slumber.

The Pillow Conspiracy: Let’s start with the most sinister culprit—the pillow. Those soft, fluffy, seemingly innocent sleep enhancers? They’re part of the problem! Instead of cradling our heads, they’re plotting to suffocate our sleep. Ever wonder why we wake up with our hair in chaos? The pillows are staging a nighttime coup.

Blanket Banditry: It’s not just the pillows; the blankets are in on it too. They lull us into a false sense of security, ensnaring us in a cocoon of comfort until our limbs go numb. It’s a plot to keep us stationary, turning us into drowsy mummies. Insomnia is our way of saying, “No more blanket bondage!”

Bedhead Brigade: We’ve been told that the more comfortable the mattress, the better the sleep. Lies! The mattress industry is secretly working with the pillows and blankets to keep us captive in our beds. Insomnia is our way of fighting back, showing them that we won’t be confined to a stationary existence.

The Midnight Museums: Our bedrooms have become miniature museums, filled with screens, blinking lights, and buzzing gadgets. It’s like sleeping in a sci-fi movie. Insomnia is our way of rebelling against this futuristic sleep dystopia, where our nights are more wired than our mornings.

Counting Sheep? Try Counting Zeros: The notion of counting sheep to fall asleep is as outdated as dial-up internet. We’re in the digital age, people! Try counting the zeros on your bank balance or the unread emails in your inbox. That should knock you out faster than a herd of sheep.

Snoring: The Silent Protest Chorus: Snoring isn’t a sleep disorder; it’s a synchronized protest against conventional sleep. It’s our way of saying, “We won’t conform to your quiet slumber standards. We’ll make noise to keep things interesting!”

The Nocturnal Rebellion: Insomnia isn’t the enemy; it’s our battle cry. It’s our way of telling the world that we won’t sleep on command. We won’t conform to the norms of bedtime. We’ll toss, turn, and stare at the ceiling in defiance until we’re good and ready to snooze.

So, there you have it, folks—insomnia isn’t the villain; it’s the hero we need. It’s our rebellion against the sleep-industrial complex, the mattress mafia, and the pillow posse. The next time you find yourself tossing and turning at 3 AM, remember: you’re not struggling; you’re participating in the great sleepy rebellion. Keep fighting the good fight, one sleepless night at a time!

By Shaun Sima
https://chef-pocket.com/aboutme