Saturday, December 8, 2012

What is Christmas all about for you?

I struggle so much this time or year. I enjoy buying gifts for my children but of course we never have any money nor can I keep up with the Jones and what other children are getting. I am then reminded what this time of year should be about(probably should have this attitude all the time), giving thanks for what God did for us, praise his gift, and thanking him for all we have; so easy for me to see and understand, hard to teach to my young ones.
They just don't get why they aren't getting iPods, or Kindles, or Nintendo DS. They assume it is because we are poor (WHICH WE ARE NOT WE ARE SO BLESSED), not because we are choosing to not spend our money on those things. Honestly if I had the money for these things I don't need 5, what happened to sharing.
As I was working on a recent message again I was reminded and amazed by what God truly did for us not to mention the hundreds of prophecies he fulfilled by serving us. It blows me away and fills me with an attitude to serve in the same way and to share passionately what was done for me. I pray my kids see this modeled in my life. Giving gifts is not bad in fact it can be good, but why can't Christmas be about Christ and we just give gifts to our kids throughout the year as there is a need. Why do we have to take every pagan holiday and throw our Christian twist on it.
My prayer this holiday season is that Christmas will be about joy, thanksgiving, celebration, memories, times with family, and the things we will cherish forever. Not the latest toy that two months from now will either be broken or in the bottom of the toy bin.