Where are You Christmas?

I'm ashamed to say that I've had a hard time getting into the spirit of things this year. Normally my house is decorated with all that we love to have out this time of year. Every room typically has something that says it's Christmas. This year I managed to get up the tree and our stockings. My heart has been a little saddened by this. Afterall, it's my son's first Christmas and my toddler loves to look at all of the festive décor. #momfail

I've been reflecting a lot on this as of late.

I've been running around like crazy, frustrated with work and peronal matters, and I've lost sight of the very thing I want my children to know and believe in their hearts. I want them to know the love and sacrifice of Jesus. I've lost sight of so much and I have not appreciated His love for me.

The Lord has placed a lot of things on my heart and has helped me to refocus. He has reminded me just how blessed I am. My children are healthy, my home is warm, and God is still good. My joy has been rekindled and my desire to reconnect with the Lord has been refueled.

He even reminded me of just how real He is by a beautiful gift my friend sent. She recently went on a trip to the Holy Land and brought back several items that I'll treasure always. My favorite however is that of three small stones. These stones were brought back from the places that were once traveled by my Savior, Jesus. He did live on this earth. He did minister to the hearts of others and He did give His life to spare mine. These 3 small stones came from the very places His feet walked upon. These were the places He lived and ministered. My Savior was real. He is real.

And...He loves me.

So, as Christmas Day came to a close I realized that it's not a matter of having the "Christmas spirit". The truth is that the Spirit of Christ lives in me and that basically makes Christmas an all day every day thing. It's a way of living, not a season. So, even after my minimal decorations have been taken down and the New Year commences, I will still have the joy that only God can give and that joy is something that can be felt and lived no matter the season.

Santa Isn't Real and That's OK

Before you throw tomatoes and boo me out the door, hear me out.

I love Christmas. I always have, despite not being brought up to believe that Santa was real. My husband,  on the other hand,  was a firm believer for many years. We just assumed the other would have no problem when it came to whether or not we'd share Santa with our kids. Strangely enough, prior to marriage we discussed how we'd compromise on finances, discipline,  etc. Never did we talk about how we would approach the Santa deal.

The time eventually came for our daughter’s first Christmas. My husband assumed we'd throw a few gifts from Santa under the tree. He was a bit surprised when I disagreed...and then came the arguement. Yes. We had an argument over Santa.

He wanted to maintain the Santa tradition he had as a child and I preferred to not teach our child that this fictional being was real (I feel the same about the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy and their friends). We put the subject aside but knew it could not be avoided forever.

Late one night I was browsing a blog post that spoke to why a couple decided not to treat Santa as a real person despite the backlash from friends and family. The more I read, the more peace I felt. I realized the reason I felt so strongly was not just my upbringing, but a conviction.

Before I go on, I don't want anyone to think that I believe myself to be the authority on what should or shouldn't be. I am simply sharing what was laid on my heart. First, I felt guilty. Guilty about basically bringing my child up to believe a lie. I became afraid that when she found out the truth, she'd start to question the actual important things that we've taught her. For some this may sound extreme,  but we don't know what type of child she'll grow to be and this could have a big impact.

Secondly, I felt strongly about ensuring that our children had no clouded view of the Savior. By sharing that Santa is also "all knowing", "all seeing" and can be everywhere in one night, I was giving him similar characteristics of God. And let's face it, they will never be close to the same. I want my children to know that God is the ONLY one that can be all of those things.

Finally, I asked my husband how he felt when he found out the truth about Santa. He was a little sad and disappointed. Why would I want to set my child up to purposefully feel those things? I teach 1st grade. I see what that can do to a kid. It can be heartbreaking. I know not all children respond that way, but why take the chance? They will face many more opportunities for disappointment as they grow.

In the end, we came up with, what we feel, is a good compromise. Our children will know that Santa is not real and that's ok. They will know him as a fictional character from their storybooks. They will understand that not everyone will believe the same way they do.

Some people feel we've ruined their childhood. We're awful for crushing the magic of Christmas. However, these people are not responsible for raising our children. We feel accountable for focusing our children's hearts and minds on Christ at Christmas and all year long. We know not everyone shares our views and we know others bring both Santa and Christ into their homes and for them that works. We simply don't want the lines to be blurred. Afterall, Christmas starts with CHRIST.

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More Than Just a Tree

 We have a modest little tree standing quietly in the corner of our living room. It isn't much to look at, but it is part of one of my most favorite traditions of the Christmas season. My heart warms with each ornament that is hung on its weary branches.

Each ornament has a special sentiment  attached to it. Some are from family vacations, while others represent our childhood and the childhoods of our children. Some of the ornaments represent beginnings and others, endings.

Some ornaments bring forth bittersweet memories, while others bring bright smiles to our faces.

I adore watching G as she hangs our memories with her tiny little hands. I look forward to passing down some of these treasures to her in the years to come...and yet I have no desire to rush that time. With each passing year, the memories grow sweeter, the traditions more meaningful, and the blessings richer.

Our eclectic little tree represents our family in a way that is only shown this time of year. I am grateful for the memories our tree represents. However, above all, we treasure the gift of not only these moments that the Lord has blessed us with, but the ultimate gift of our salvation, through Christ's sacrifice. His story will forever be told in our home and held in our hearts.

 

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Taking Time to Enjoy a Classic

One of the best things about having kids is that they have the ability to make you slow down and enjoy the good things in life. This may be an ice cream cone on a hot summer day. It could come as a time of jumping in a pile of fall leaves on a crisp autumn afternoon. In my case, it has been sitting down on these cold, fall evenings enjoying some of the classics. 

My daughter has become quite smitten with the 1960's version of Ruldoloh, The Red Nosed Reindeer. This film always takes me back to childhood and I am loving the opportunity to make these same memories with my daughter. I treasure this time. It's far too fleeting. 

As the seasons change and the holidays make their way, I encourage you to slow down and take some time to enjoy the classics. Reflect on sweet memories. Make new ones and love the ones you're with. The Lord has blessed us abundantly and it is the perfect time of year to share the love.


Graphic via CollegeFashion

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