OUR CHRISTMAS LESSONS LEARNED

WITH ALL THE MEDICAL ISSUES WE HAVE FACED BECAUSE OF MY HEART CONDITION, WE WERE FORCED TO FACE OUR WAY OF CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS. LIKE MOST, IT WAS SLAM UP THE HOUSE DECORATIONS INSIDE & OUT ... SHOP, SHOP, SHOP SPENDING MONEY WE DON'T HAVE BECAUSE EVERYONE EXPECTED STORE-BOUGHT GIFTS FROM US ... SQUEEZE IN MASS ... COOK A HUGE DINNER IN WHICH A LOT OF THE LEFT OVERS WERE THROWN OUT BECAUSE EVERYONE GETS TIRED OF EATING TURKEY IN 100 DIFFERENT WAYS ... CLEAN UP & DROP INTO THE COUCH SOMETIME AROUND 9:00 CHRISTMAS NIGHT TO "CELEBRATE" THE HOLIDAY. THIS YEAR, WE "HAD" TO CHANGE A BIT. WE DECORATED, OF COURSE ... BUT INSTEAD OF "WAITING UNTIL WE COULD AFFORD AN EXPENSIVE NATIVITY SET FOR THE FRONT YARD TO PUT UP SOMETHING "CHRISTIAN", WE FOUND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FULL-SIZED FLAG WITH A PICTURE OF MARY & CHILD, & ANGELS ATTENDING TO THEM. WE HUNG IT ON THE FRONT OF OUR HOME & PLACED A SPOTLIGHT SO THAT CHRIST IS THE FOCUS OF OUR OUTSIDE DECORATING. THE COST WAS A MINIMAL $25.00 INSTEAD OF HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOR MY IDEA OF A GRAND NATIVITY SET. THAT MAY COME, BUT FOR NOW WE'RE STILL HONORING OUR LORD & HOPEFULLY REMINDING SOMEONE WHAT THE REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT. HAVING A SMALL HOME, AFTER THE TREE & A FEW CANDLES ARE SET AROUND, THERE'S NOT MUCH ROOM FOR ANYTHING ELSE. THIS YEAR, WE "MADE" ROOM & COVERED A PIECE OF FURNITURE IN THE ENTRY & PLACED OUR MANGER THERE SO THAT IS THE 1st THING ONE SEES WHEN ENTERING OUR HOME. THE SMALL TREE & FIRE BURNING IN OUR FIREPLACE THEN OFFERS THE WARMTH & FRIENDSHIP WE EXTEND TO OUR GUESTS. WE TOLD THE GROWN KIDS THAT CHRISTMAS PRESENTS WOULD BE FOR THE GRANDKIDS THIS YEAR (&, WE'LL PROBABLY STICK WITH THIS IN YEARS TO COME). WE AREN'T WEALTHY & NEITHER ARE OUR KIDS. EACH OF US SPEND MONEY WE DON'T HAVE TO BUY PRESENTS FOR THE ADULTS THAT THEY PROBABLY WON'T USE WHEN ALL WE ADULTS BUY FOR OURSELVES & OUR SPOUSES YEAR ROUND. SO INSTEAD, WE ARE PLANNING ON SENDING LETTERS TO THEM TELLING THEM HOW PROUD WE ARE OF THEM & MAYBE RE-TELLING OF SOMETHING FROM OUR PAST THAT IS A SPECIAL MEMORY WITH THEM. FOR THE GRANDKIDS, AT THE SUGGESTION OF ONE SET OF PARENTS ... WE'RE NOW BUYING US SAVINGS BONDS TO BE PUT IN EACH GRANDCHILD'S EDUCATION FUND. WE'VE ASKED THAT THEIR PARENTS MAKE A BIG DEAL ABOUT TAKING THE CHILD TO THE BANK TO PUT THEIR BOND IN THE SAFETY DEPOSIT BOX SO THEY LEARN THE IMPORTANCE OF SAVING FOR THEIR FUTURES. THEY ALL HAVE ENOUGH RELATIVES & FRIENDS WHO BUY THEM TOYS & ITEMS THAT WILL BE BROKEN IN NO TIME OR SHOVED TO THE BACK OF THE CLOSET FORGOTTEN & UNUSED. BUT WHEN FACED WITH THE ENORMOUS COSTS OF FURTHERING THEIR EDUCATION, THEY'LL THINK ... "WOW, MaMaw & PaPaw WERE SMARTER THAN WE THOUGHT ... &, THEY'LL HAVE A LITTLE SPENDING CASH TO COVER SOME EXPENSES AT COLLEGE. NICK & I DECIDED THAT WE AREN'T GOING TO BUY ANYTHING FOR ONE ANOTHER EITHER. WE ALREADY HAVE MOST EVERYTHING WE NEED OR WANT ... &, WE CAN ALWAYS BUY NEW GADGETS ANY TIME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. INSTEAD, WE ARE FOCUSING ON SPENDING TIME TOGETHER TRULY CELEBRATING MY PARENTS' (55th) & OUR (3rd) WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES ON CHRISTMAS EVE ... &, GOING TO MASS ALL TOGETHER & ACTUALLY ENJOYING IT (FOR ONCE) BECAUSE WE AREN'T STRESSED LIKE WE NORMALLY ARE. WE'RE HAVING MY PARENTS OVER FOR CHRISTMAS DAY DINNER. IT WILL BE DELICIOUS, BUT "MORE REASONABLY SIZED" SO THAT OUR FOCUS IS ON SHARING OUR BLESSINGS WITH THEM & ENJOYING THE TIME WE'RE BLESSED WITH TOGETHER. THE FIREPLACE WILL BE LIT & CHRISTMAS SONGS WILL BE PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND. ALL WILL BE RIGHT WITH THE WORLD IN OUR HOME ... BUT, FOR THE BEST AMERICA HAS TO OFFER ... FOR THOSE MILITARY MEN & WOMEN OFFERING THEIR LIVES FOR THE FREEDOMS OF EVERY AMERICAN & FOR OTHERS AROUND THE WORLD, A FERVENT PRAYER WILL BE PRAYED FROM OUR TABLE. MEMORIES OF WHEN MY FATHER & MY HUSBAND GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF OUR COUNTRY WILL COME TO US & A FEELING OF PRIDE WILL FILL MY MOTHER & I. INSTEAD OF "GETTING", WE'RE FOCUSING ON "GIVING" TO OTHERS IN NEED ... &, GIVING BACK TO MY PARENTS WHO HAVE BEEN SUCH A BLESSING TO ME, & TO NICK & I. WHEN YOU REALLY LOOK, YOUR HEART JUST BREAKS BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY HURTING PEOPLE WHO JUST NEED A HELPING HAND. WE'VE BECOME SOMEONE'S "SECRET ANGELS" ... DOING THINGS FOR THEM BUT NOT LETTING THEM KNOW WHO WE ARE. WE HAVE SO ENJOYED THIS &, WE REALLY HAVE "RECEIVED" FAR MORE THAN WE'VE "GIVEN" IN THE GRATITUDE OF THOSE WE HELPED & THE EXCITEMENT OF DOING SOMETHING GOOD IN SECRET. FOR US, I THINK WE'VE FOUND A WAY TO TRULY CELEBRATE GOD'S GREATEST GIFT TO US, HIS SAVING SON, JESUS. WE'VE FOUND PEACE & JOY & IT DIDN'T COME ON A CREDIT CARD ... IT CAME FROM GIVING TO THOSE STRUGGLING, & SHARING OF OURSELVES WITH FAMILY & FRIENDS. FOR US, I THINK WE'VE BEGUN A NEW, FAMILY CHRISTMAS TRADITION. IT IS OUR HEART-FELT PRAYER THAT EACH OF YOU EXPERIENCE THE TRUE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS ... OR, THE TRUE SPIRIT OF THE TRADITIONS OF YOUR CELEBRATIONS OF THE FAITH THAT GUIDES YOUR LIVES. NO MATTER WHAT FAITH LIES IN YOUR HEARTS ... MAY THIS SEASON BLESS YOU & BRING YOU PEACE. GOD BLESS EACH OF YOU, OUR DEAR FRIENDS DAWN & NICK

Praise God!! We, as Christians, need to step back from all the materialistic aspects of the holiday and celebrate God, wrapped in human flesh. Thank you Jesus!!! Love, Dawn

Hi Dawn! Thank you so much for sharing! The true spirit of Christmas is something we should celebrate year round. Every week we go to church we celebrate His encarnation and most importantly His resurrection. What a gift we have received! Thank you Lord! Love ya Dawn and may God bless this Holy Season in your home as you celebrate in a beautiful way with friends and family. God Bless, Lynda Phil. 4:8

Dear Dawn, Thank you so much for sharing. It has been a long standing tradition in our family that we only buy gifts for the children. My parents began a tradition of presenting myself and my siblings with an original poem written by my father with an explanation about the creation of the poem framed beautifully every Christmas. This gift means a lot because 1) my father wrote the poem and 2) I sometimes forget about the occasion upon which the poem is based. Savings bonds are a wonderful gift for children. May God bless you and your family. Kathy from MO

Dawn, thank you for putting into words what I needed to read. It is all about Jesus...His love for us, our love for Him, and our love for our family and others. God bless you and your family. Love, Peg