Tis the season for giving thanks, for remembering the birth of our Savior Jesus and for making memories. Traditions are a huge part of this time of the year for me and my family. I thought I would share with you a few of the things that my family and I love to do in the month of December.
To begin with, we normally get the Christmas decorations out right after Thanksgiving. I love to have my girls help with the decorating. This year, my youngest really got into it..and I so enjoyed letting her decorate the tree the way “she” wanted to.
Another yearly tradition that I love to do with my girls is putting together and decorating a gingerbread house. LOVE doing this together! We turn on the Christmas music and have a good old time together. I hope they never think that they are “too old” for this!
Something else that my girls and I love to do is make homemade Christmas ornaments. Last year we got together with our friends and did this..it was so much fun! The homemade ornaments are my favorite! There is just something special and precious about them. It brings me joy to open up the container and take them out one by one each December…remembering the time we spent together making them.
There are Christmas parties with Church groups. Christmas Eve and Christmas day get-togethers with family. Yummy meals. Delicious desserts. Presents exchanged and LOTS of pictures taken.
Something that my family has done for several years is help at a local event on Christmas Eve. We get the opportunity to feed people food and feed them God’s Word. My children look forward to this every year and my husband and I do as well. We go in order to be a blessing and end up being the ones that are blessed.
There are lots of other traditions that we tend to do each year…too many to list. Traditions are fine. They are even fun. I hope that in all of the memory making, that Jesus..the reason for this entire season of the year, stands out as being the soul purpose for Christmas. I hope I never make the other “stuff” seem more important than Jesus… I hope that the “traditions”, the fun things, only point to Jesus. By the attitudes we have while doing the “Christmas stuff”. In the way we behave around others. In what proves to be our priority. Is it showing others “Jesus” or is it showing others “stuff”?
I love the lights, presents, and music just as much as the next person. I have to be careful that those “things” are not my priority. I have to be intentional about keeping Jesus in 1st place. I have to be even more intentional about spending quality time with my Father God during this time of the year. The time of the year when the hustle and bustle of the season could get in the way of quiet time with God….and in the way of spending time just being with Him and studying His Word.
The BEST tradition that any of us could hope to be carried on by our families, is one of honoring God this Christmas season and every single day of the year. Remembering the birth of our Savior..and teaching others about Him. Finding someone who might not have anyone to share Christmas with…inviting them to your family gathering. Asking God to show you someone who may need your help this year at Christmas. Jesus…Others…and then Yourself. That is what brings JOY.
You like gifts??…Good…find someone to give one to. Someone who may not have a Christmas if you don’t. Then you’ll find JOY. Now that is a tradition that could change the world.
Merry Christmas to you all! I hope you take time to make memories…spend with Jesus..and carry on some traditions. I hope you are able to slow down and enjoy the gift of “the moment”. I hope you find JOY this Christmas season. I hope that you tune out the negative that you may encounter this season..and focus on the good….focus on God…celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus.
Until Next Time,
Hope For The Broken 