I also have to say that I have very little patience for people who dread and gripe about his time of year. I have never understood the term holiday stress, the holidays have never been stressful for me. Perhaps it is all in my perspective.
We have always, since marriage and children, minimized the commercial aspect of the holidays in order to maximize the spiritual. Under our tree this year you will find 7 sparsely filled stockings, 7 simple gifts, and one extravagant gift. We have never given our children any more than three gifts each, and they have never been expensive or unnecessary. One year we gave strictly scriptural gifts; bibles, devotionals, and veggie tales movies and games. This year we are revisiting my favorite Christmas. We each drew a name and will be buying a gift and stocking stuffers for only the person we drew with a $40 total limit. I am deeply saddened by the reactions I get when I tell people this; I have heard everything from "don't you want your kids to have a great Christmas?" to "wow, are you sad they won't be getting a good Christmas this year" and even "why are you robbing your family of Christmas"
I can't give my kids a great Christmas, because someone else already has. All I can do is keep their focus where it needs to be. I am positive it is working because my six year old does not have the gimmies, he has even said many times this holiday season that he doesn't like the Christmas season in the world because it is all about presents and things. "Don't they know it is about Jesus, and that is what makes Christams good?" he said one day after watching a Wal-Mart commercial. Tonight he prayed that the whole world would become Christians. I can't think of a better gift to my heart than to hear a child more concerned with the hearts of the lost than the toys he wants this time of year. What is funny is that he drew my name and without even realizing it gave me my gift tonight with his prayers.
Among our 7 gifts under the tree you will find the most extravagant gift the world has ever known, or at least a reminder of it. A simple lowly manger, where the King of Kings took His first nap; a cross where the Lord of all the nations died to free us all from our sins; and an empty box to remind us of the empty tomb He walked out of when He conquered death.
The only thing I could ever want for Christmas is to know that my children are on the right path, tonight I was given that gift. I love Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!
And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for I bring you good tidings of great joywhich shall be for all the people; today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior who is Christ the Lord."
Luke 2:9-11 (NASB)
2 comments:
Amen!I love this time of year too! And I too agree we all get lost in the incessant need for material things. This year we minimized as well... and I don't feel bad at all. My kids have wonderful CHristmas' for multiple reasons... one of those is the focus on the Savior. The second is the desire to serve and love our families... something that the Savior taught. My favorite part has started to include delivering goodies to neighbors... something I try to do with various holidays to let people know we are thinking about them. This year was my little boys first year, helping me. And I wanted to cry when he started pointing out homes that didn't have any food on their doorstep... that we needed to go back and get them some. (and this was October)! SO Merry Christmas!!!
I love this one! It's very true! It's not all about the presents, santa, and other things like that but about Jesus coming into this world!
Post a Comment