Sing with me, "It's the most wonderful time of the year." Well, that's how the song goes. But, in our hectic lives full of appointments, school functions, staff parties, Christmas shopping, and traffic jams, the joy and wonder that we knew as children somehow disappears. How can we get that back? Well, I'm glad you asked.
I absolutely love Christmas. To me, it IS "the most wonderful time of the year". However, I have to be intentional about making it such or I fall into the trap of looking at the circumstances around me and I miss what Christmas is all about. Without the manger, there would have never been a cross. Without Bethlehem, there would have never been a Calvary. Without a birth, there would have never been a death and resurrection. I find that teaching these truths to my children and celebrating THAT during this time of year, helps our family to stay focused on the TRUE meaning of Christmas.
Now, understand me. I don't see anything wrong with playing Santa Claus and enjoying the magic of Christmas that makes my kids eyes light up. We do that as a family, as well. As kids, my children are excited about what they are going to get for Christmas. The gifts. The lights. The FOOD! But, as they grow, I want to have invested more in them than that. As they mature, they'll understand what we've taught them and the TRUTH in that story will come to life for them. Be intentional about investing in others during Christmas. That is the only way that I've found to make the distractions go away and the true meaning of Christmas to take center stage.
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