The True Meaning of CHRISTmas

     With CHRISTmas only a few short weeks away it is easy to get caught up in the ''gifting'' part of CHRISTmas and to forget about the true reason for the season.  We tend to spend a lot of time thinking about what we are getting people and if they will like it, or what other people will be getting us.  It is easy to spend all of December thinking about the new video game system, or the new game, or the new iPhone.  If we are not careful we will find ourselves thinking about only worldly things and not godly things.

     In my opinion CHRISTmas is the most important holiday of the year.  CHRISTmas is the time for me to celebrate the birth of my Savior.  That doesn't mean we can't think about gifts or CHRISTmas trees, but we should really focus on the Christ of CHRISTmas.

     Here are some things you can do to help you remember the reason for the season:

You can read the story of Jesus' birth in the Bible (Luke chapters 1 and 2)  aloud with your family.

You can read CHRISTmas books that are about the birth of Christ.

You can celebrate Advent.  My family reads an Advent book each year and it is a great way to help us focus on Christ.

You can also make sure to play music and sing songs that are about Jesus' birth.

I have also decided to capitalize CHRIST every time I write CHRISTmas.

Here are a few fun things my family has done in the past:

We have made CHRISTmas ornaments with the names of Jesus written on them.

We have hung a stocking for Jesus and put inside things we wanted to give Him.

We had a birthday party for Jesus and all the gifts were for babies and we took them to the Crisis Pregnancy Center.

     This CHRISTmas season we should make sure that our hearts are in the right place and that we and our families realize the reason we celebrate CHRISTmas.


''For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.''
                                                               Isaiah 9:6

Christmas, Wonderful Christmas!



Company, and lots of it!

Mom and Olivia made all our Christmas favorites.

Clare opening her first ever Christmas present.

Playing with all our gifts.

Olivia and her new bike.

What a Wonderful Christmas!

Christmas Poem

     Here is a good poem on what we can give God for Christmas.

My Gift

What can I give Him
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would give Him a lamb.
If I were a wise man,
I would do my part.
But what can I give Him?
I will give Him my Heart.

-Christina G. Rossetti-

Christmas Time

    I can't believe there are only 12 days left until Christmas.  It seems like yesterday it was 30 days away.  I am not ready.  I still have some shopping to do!

We've put lights outside and decorated the inside of our house.  (This is our first Christmas in this house so we had a little planning to do, but we got it to work.)

It is simple, but I like it.  Our neighborhood looks wonderful at night.   Almost all the neighbors have decorated their houses too.


 Christmas is for giving, but we all get caught up in the getting.  We came up with a great idea how we could give to others.
     My Dad brought home from work some goodies leftover from a train ride with Santa thing Norfolk Southern sponsored.  There were train whistles, Frisbees, candy and little activity books with crayons.  My Mom said, "You guys already have tons of candy and little things like this". "You guys should make treat bags and take them to the hospital and give them to sick little kids".  We loved the idea!  We got busy right away and made up bags using the stuff Dad brought home from work and other things we had here at our house.  We made Christmas cards and put stuff about the real reason for Christmas in the bags.

 

Nic and Eli at the hospital...I don't think Eli was ready for his picture to be taken.

    

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD'S favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant those who mourn in Zion - to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD that he may be glorified.
Isaiah 61:1-3


In the next few days we have a lot of shopping and making food and other stuff to do but we all want to try to keep our focus on Christ.  (The true meaning of Christmas!)

What does your family do to celebrate a Christ-centered Christmas?

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!