We started to get some of our Christmas items crossed off the list. Christmas tree out, dusted, set up and decorated? check! Christmas cards filled out and sent? started... Shopping? I don't even want to think about it! You would think that kids would be easy to buy for, but honestly, I have no idea what to get for my own kids, never mind the nieces and nephews. See, in our house, our kids only watch Tree.house which has almost no commercials, or movies or Net.Flix. We limit what we expose our kids to, for many reasons, but it bites us in the butt when we ask them what they want Santa Claus to bring them.
Yes, we are doing Santa.... there was a time when we considered keeping Santa out of our family Christmas equation but now that my son is in school, it's unavoidable. They are learning about it at school and there's nothing we can do about it. So we are going with it, but also teaching our kids that Christmas is the day we also celebrate Jesus' birthday. It's something they get. When you say it's someone's birthday, they think cake and candles and a party, and really, Christmas is like that. The family gets together, shares a great meal, some sweet desserts and everyone gets presents.
It's very important to us that our kids know about Jesus. I grew up with very little exposure to Jesus/church/ the Bible, and lived for a long time, feeling like I was missing something. When I found Jesus I realized just how amazing and wonderful He is, and the kind of life He wants for me. I want my kids to start off with that as their foundation, something to stand on, to build their lives on. Jesus is talking about Himself in the following:
Luke 6:47-49 "Everyone who comes to Me and hears My worlds and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great."
Jesus is the rock that we should be building the foundation of our life on. So this Christmas, when we are wondering what our kids/spouse/relatives would like to get we really should pause and remember what this holiday is all about.
And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. In the same region there were some shepherd staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flocks by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, "do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God n the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." Luke 2:7-14
Merry Christmas to you all, may God bless and keep you. May His face shine upon you and be gracious and give you peace.
