Sunday, December 5, 2010

Christmas

The Christmas season is here and I love it.  My faith is wholly founded on this great holiday...the birth of my Savior.  The tree, the lights, the presents... all to celebrate the greatest gift of all...my Jesus.  


The other day, er, or was it a week or more ago...anyways...I wasn't feeling it at all.  My mind was swirling with all the gifts I needed to buy and with it all I was getting a bit bummed.  Trying to get what I need with the budget I have.  What should I get?  Who should I buy for?  What are people expecting??  :D  At the same time, my love language is gift giving!!  I LOVE to find a special something for someone ...wrap it lovingly and give!!  :D  It is even more fun when you give to people who know how to receive!  Anyway...I was in a whirlwind..putting the true meaning of Christmas in the backseat.  Even coming to the point where I wish we didn't have to give any stupid gifts..  :D  Then a friend on FB posted this status:


I love the Christmas season but I have to admit that I dont like how money goes out as quickly as it goes in. :P Dont get me wrong I love to give but the list is insanely long and it can get overwhelming. I want to give because the Lord lead me to give to a true need not out of obligation. I want a simpler Christmas , a christmas that isnt all about what I have to buy for people who already have plenty. - ASP


I could totally relate!  I love the responses!!  


Give gifts of time, we have taught our kids, Time is money too, and they often give coupons for car cleanings, back yard pick ups , a plate of the receipients favorite cookies,brownies or some treat. I am giving a lot of homemade applesauce and applebutter this year....I love to give and God makes it so easy when we don't get caught in all the stickers and tags......Blessings to you and Yours - rb

Obligatory, materialistic, thinking, is so not what we want to get involved in! I have so much fun during this season and choose to look at as simply a fun celebration, to encourage that which we know already all throughout the year.....Jesus our Savior, the HUGE blessing of family and friends, the joy of surprises, the fun of decorating, etc. etc....I think when we dramatize a specific time like this, we take away from the faithfulness, goodness, and generosity of our daily lives, so it's important not to act as if "Christmas" is something very seperate from our daily lives, yet it's a set aside celebration(s) to move on into our next year.....I dunno, maybe it's because my family is so not full of expectations, that I don't get this overwhelming feeling of "stuff", but if we're stressed out, we need to step back, and figure out why, because God is so not wanting that for us!- LO

 I have no doubt that even your family and friends would be blessed with something you made them :) the kids could even get in on it and help make the labels etc for them.In our family those things made by ones own hands are FAR treasured above something one can just pick up at the store :) I will pray for you and that your family's heart will be open, receptive and even excited about making some changes in their traditional ideas of xmas giving :) picking names is always fun too, then you re only buying for one perosn and with a limit on it its even more fun to see how much you can get to give for so little and it still be personal. we r just doing a stocking for each of the boys, and I am a blessed mom that it is more than enough for them :) - mk


This is my thinking.  I think that we can be extreme in either way.  We can get so legalistic and full of law that we look down our noses at the whole gift giving time.  Proudly proclaiming how holy we are because we are not materialistic.  I think that God longs for us to give to each other in so many ways..and gifts are a way to give as well.  I can give you story after story of God giving me materialistic things for no good reason but to say..."I love you."  Or we can go to the other side of the pendulum and go into debt and try to keep up with everyone around us.  Giving totally out of obligation and no love.  I don't want either side.  I want to find gifts for my family and friends within our budget and enjoy all the things that make Christmas what it is.  God has been so good to me and my family and during this month I want to constantly rejoice and love God and thank Him for loving me.  Jesus is the greatest gift!!


melanie


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