"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given" Isaiah 9:6
Christmas is coming!! Christmas is coming!!! Christmas cheer has been lacking on my part this season, although I LOVE this time of year. I love the yummy goodies, the parties, programs, and celebrations, I love shopping for just the right gift for my loved ones, I love the much needed family time that last for days, and most importantly I love celebrating His birth. It seems each and every year I try to reduce the amount of "things" i am involved in or reduce the craziness so that i can focus more on His coming and somehow the insanity is all still there. It blinds me so easily and quickly steals my joy of the season. Can I get an Amen?? I would venture to say that our society has Xmas down to an art! Notice I took Christ out.....it seems that this world is ok with that, taking Christ out. And I believe if we were all honest we would all say that we are guilty! We tend to focus on the "I wants" and the "I have to get this for" and the "I have to get this done for this party or event" instead of setting our minds on what the season is really about. We are never satisfied with just Him! Oh Lord forgive me!!
A few years ago we started a new tradition in our family. Actually it stemmed from a picture of my daughter and all her presents at Christmas. I remember taking the picture and working hard to make sure all her gifts would fit in the lens. Backing up and moving my camera just right in order to see everything just perfect. Wow!! I remembered saying and feeling a sense of pride because we were able to provide so many gifts for her. Then like I said, a few years ago, I was looking through pictures and came across that particular one. I didn't feel that same sense of pride any more but a sense of shame instead. What was I really teaching my children by giving them a bunch of "things"?? I was just teaching them to want more and wanting more just teaches them less. Dissatisfaction! So we decided to change that. For the past three years my children have received 3 gifts. Yes only three gifts! We had to sit them down and have a little talk as to why they could only choose three gifts since they were use to getting a mound of gifts.
"When they saw the star they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh." Matthew 2:10-11
You see the true meaning of Christmas is not about all the gifts we can receive but about our Saviors birth. The thing that spurred the gift giving was the wise men. So we decided since, Jesus received three gifts, one from each of the wise men, that our children were NOT more precious than Jesus! If you are a parent that statement can be a tough one to swallow because we put our children above all else. And it has been super hard to not want to give them more. (I actually had to take presents back this past week, conviction.......ugghhh!! I had gotten carried away.) But I would much rather give them more of Jesus than a bunch of stuff that won't matter for eternity!! Even more breathtaking is to see them learn from this and to share this tradition with others. So many have asked my kids what they are getting for Christmas and they will say their three items and people will respond with well what else....and my kids will say "we get three gifts because we aren't more special than Jesus". Talk about warming your heart!!
We haven't mastered all the lessons to be learned from this experience since this year when I asked my kids to make out their list, my middle child decided to make out everyone's list for them. When I spoke to them all about their 3 items my oldest and youngest didn't have a clue as to what they wanted or what was even on their list. So you see my middle child had a plan, he figured if he made the list for everyone with his likes then he would be good to go, getting more for himself! Lol!!! Pretty smart but not what we had in mind. Although, he tried to convince his brother of the things that he had put on the list. Little stinker!!
Learning to be satisfied with what God has given or not given is sometimes a hard task. Teaching my children to be satisfied with only three gifts has not been easy either. Even as an adult I believe we struggle with this. We are no different from my child. We bargain with God in the same way. Begging in prayer as we borrow, scheme, take out a loan, seek after, and plan without consenting God on the matter. All for what??? Just so that we can have more. And have more of what??? Most of the time more of what we don't need. Ouch!! Very convicting!!
This Christmas season I pray that through all the craziness and mad dashes from here to there you will put on the forefront of your mind the true meaning of Christmas! I pray that you will remember HIS BIRTH and be SATISFIED!!! JESUS is the reason for the season!!! Nothing more nothing less!!!
"And He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6
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