Christmas...

This year I had planed to be more organized and to decide on what we want some of our families Christmas traditions to be but as usual life happened.  I do not like the busyness of this time of year and all the commercialism.  Every year I want it more simple.  So I guess it was good in its own way when I stopped stressing over being late on trying to do things and not being organized and having to stay up till 12 catching up for all the times I left it all to take a quite moment with my family.  We just kind of did things as they came up or as I got tired of doing housework and needed a break and God is making it beautiful, a beautiful time for all those little things that make it meaningful.  Laughter, wonder, giving, joy, prayers, serving, secrets, family, friends, talks, dreams and memories.

One night I made apple cider (which my husband loved after tasting it last year) and put blankets on the floor in front of the tree, lit candles and we sat and sang some Christmas songs, read the story of Jesus birth from Josiah`s children's Bible, talked a little about the meaning of Christmas and prayed.  We watched this veggie tales video about shoe boxes and talked about giving and why we give and how it makes us happy to give and how those who receive are also happy. 

Other days we have gone out and gathered evergreens and pine cones to decorate with, we went to see Christmas lights at the Connie Maxwell Children`s home (they have a live nativity and horse drawn carriages too).  As we get presents for people we are wrapping them.  We put together a package of art work of Josiah`s, homemade Christmas cards and family pictures for Randall's`s family in Costa Rica.

Josiah and I made plates of homemade fingerprint cookies and peanut butter fudge for thank you gits for about 6 people.  We also got to make Cinnamon ornaments with the cousins to hang on the tree.  They smell so good.  Also we spent time making some meals for my sister who is pregnant and on very limited activity. 

I have really enjoyed the Christmas Advent services at our church.

Hanging to the greens - about some of our Christmas traditions like the tree and why we do it. 

Carols - how our Christmas Carols came to be

Children´s Christmas nativity - Josiah was a Shepard

I did not expect Kaleb to find the presents this year and eat them.  I thought that wouldn`t happen till next year.  He didn`t do it on purpose but he scoots on his belly and when he finds something interesting he eats it.

Josiah has had questions this year.  Where`s Jesus`s present?  When is it mine and daddy`s and everybody's birthday?  Why does he have that big beard?(a Santa he saw).  I was not prepared for them yet but with much praying for wisdom and thinking I am answering them and trying to show him what Christmas is all about.  Why do we confuse our children with the concrete things they can see and touch before they can understand the meaning and heart of Christmas?  I guess it is so that we can evaluate what we do and believe and to begin to explain it to them.  We have had lots of time to talk about it while we have done little things.  I am sure each year he will understand more and more of it.

Whether it be in doing something special, a tradition, a memory or in a long day of everyday life, a fussy baby, a tired mommy who has to ask for forgiveness for being frustrated or a little boy who is just being who he is I want my children to see Jesus, to come to know Him, to give their lives to Him.  I feel so honored to have a part in shepherding their hearts and leading them to Him.

So as I look back over it I guess we did do a lot.  More than I thought possible with our lives what they are right now.  Maybe we didn`t do  all traditions I would like to do every year and maybe there were more things I would like to do but we did what we could and the time with my family was special and important.  I had time to talk with Josiah and do fun things with him for others and introduce Randall to things he has never seen or done and lay the ground of choosing our own traditions as a family.  We got to bless others and be blessed.  

And that`s what matters.

So I want to encourage you little simple things make the a difference.