Chaff Blown in the Wind

So are my words from yesterday...

I must admit that I was very frustrated and a bit more than tired yesterday when I was posting...and that is reflected very evidently...

I did not intend to disparage my friend, but want you all to know that I feel quite strongly about families that spend time each week dragging their children to over 64 activities, not including school.

That being said, the rest of today's post will be a bit more uplifting (I hope) than yesterday's was.

I had the pleasure of spending this morning at the Christmas Brunch with my SIL. She is a great person, and I had a wonderful time.

More than the company and the amazing feast (our moms never cease to amaze me in that department!), the message that we heard this morning was much needed by my heart and soul.

Two of our moms did a reading from one of Max Lucado's books, the one that talks about how in the arms of a teenaged girl, in a smelly stable, rested God, and no one even noticed. It went on to talk about how no one even realized that the impossible had happened the night before, and they just went on as normal, not because they were evil, but because they weren't looking for it.

It just struck a chord in me this morning, that I don't think I look for God each day...

And then, I read FarmWife's Post this morning, and I was just sort of whacked upside the head in a spiritual sense.

How fun is it to watch your children light up seeing the lights and decorations at Christmas? How awesome is it to hear their little voices singing "Away in a Manger", or "Silent Night"?

I know that all things Christmas are taken together to create the memories - the smells of the goodies being baked, hot cider, greenery, pine cones, the sight of the lights, the trees, the gifts sitting under the tree, the stockings, and all the other things that we use to decorate and celebrate. I also know that Christmas will still happen, regardless of whether or not we have a tree, or gifts, or cookies...

In fact, it is more important to focus Christmas on the reason for our celebration, and to make it a special time of year.

I want my children (now that Captain Chaos is old enough to start getting it) to understand that it is not about getting gifts, so much as it is celebrating the ultimate gift.

I feel as thought I'm repeating the same thing over and over without really making my point...

I want to wake on Christmas morning, and know that when we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus with the kids, that they get it. That they understand why we celebrate...

I want to know that if there is something "missing" from their list, they won't have a temper tantrum. I want to know that they'll be wide-eyed with wonder that there are special things for them, hand picked by their parents, grandparents, and uncles and aunts.

I guess I want to teach them that we are grateful, that we are thankful, that we are celebrating the fact the grace of God is the gift we truly don't deserve, that should never have been given to us, but was...

I will still decorate, and bake, and shop for and wrap and open gifts...but I will do it much more intentionally than I ever have before...

I hope this makes sense to those of you who chose to stick with me and read all the way through...