That's Not What Christmas Is About

Christmas weekend is finally over. Wow! was it long, busy, and fun! We had four family get togethers between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and a 5th one two weeks prior. Not to mention self bought Christmas items from shopping the day after Christmas clearance sales! Talk about needing some more closet space. 3 days later and I'm still procrastinating about finding homes for everything. It will take a major overhaul to find a home for each gift and blessing. 

And this isn't all of it... 

We are excited to host the family New Year's Eve party this year (which as you all know comes six short days after Christmas!). I have a hugemungo list broken down into each day and section so I make sure everything gets done and finds a home before the second round of festivites. I made my list yesterday and woke up this morning thinking about getting the first of many loads of laundry on and hoping my two year would stay in bed a teeny bit longer so I could take a quick, peaceful shower, and then the Lord whispered...

what about your devotions today? Are you going to squeeze that in? early? or later during nap time... if you have time?

I've been doing a scripture copy through December from this blog, each day writing a set of about 4-6 verses on the prophecy and birth of Jesus. I love anything paper and writing and have throughly enjoyed it. But today when I opened my copy book this is what I saw...

Dec. 24th, 2015

That's right Dec. 24th, 2015. It's been 4 days since I opened my Bible in any way. I was busy, I was celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, I was getting together with family, and shopping clearance, and sleeping, and playing games, and on and on it goes.

THAT'S NOT WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT...

Christmas is not about forgetting your devotions four days in a row, it not about the huge pile of present sitting in my living room, it's not even about seeing family, no matter how long it's been since you last saw them. 

We've all seen the sign "Keep Christ in Christmas". So how are we doing that? Did you read from Luke 2 before opening gifts (did you even listen?) Did you pray? (did you mean what you said?) Did you seek out the example of Christ?(Did you even think about him on Christmas? I mean truly?)  did you spend time building up your family and encouraging them? (Or were you thinking, "what did they get me?" or "I hope they like what I got them") Did you take personal time for God before starting your day? (Or did you think "I'll do it later - after the Christmas morning festivities." or" I'll get it when we read the Christmas story around the tree?") 

I FAILED.

I failed at Christmas this year. I got caught up in the world's version of Christmas. I played right into Satan's game of buying, busyness, and keeping the extended family happy. I failed to to keep Christ first, I didn't give my family time of quiet to listen to God, I didn't give my family quiet to possibly give us time to let things come in conversation. What if someone wanted to say something important, but we weren't listening? 

This is the first year my almost 3 year old has really understood Christmas and do you know what I taught her this year? We have to sit still and listen to the Bible story while we wait to open gifts, we get lots and lots of gifts, we yell "thank you everyone" when we are done, we sleep little, we eat lots, and it takes a week to get life back to normal. 

Not  exactly what I had been planning for the past 5 or so years. I want my kids to know and understand God. I want them to learn discipline, thankfulness, and understand what it means to be in want. I want them to see God's miracles, I want to them to understand what the word quiet means. I don't want them to question if God is real, I don't want them to become discontent with their old things because of a wave of new. 

CONCLUSION:

So what do we do? How do we find Christ this time of year? Do we find him among the tinsel, ribbons, and clearance? Definitely not! Do we find him in family gathering and busy days? most likely not. I have my ideas of how to break free from our societies pull, (better know as Satan's plan)  but it won't be easy. I will be criticized, laughed at, and probably ignored, but when I find myself on the side of the majority, I can't help but pause and reflect on whether or not this is right. Christ rarely did what was popular, so why should I think that living for Christ and living like Christ will be any more popular.

What one word sums up your Christmas weekend? What new traditions do you want to incorporate next year?

Sarah