Take Back Christmas!

November 30, 2011

By Elizabeth Norman

If you love Christmas and never have feelings of exhaustion, resentment, overload, pressure to keep up with the Joneses -- GOOD FOR YOU! Praise the Lord! If you do have feelings of exhaustion just thinking about how busy it's going to be, resentment over never enough time or money to do the things you'd like, or pressure to meet your kid's expectations... God has a word for us. Actually, lots of words for these particular predicaments... but I'd like to mention these two, in this particular order:

"Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

"Train your children up in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it..." Proverbs 22:6

If you are discontent with your "Christmasing," do something about it! You can, and here's how I plan to attack my own discontent. I hope it's of some value to you and your family!

1. Our quiet time with the Lord MUST take a front seat during this season of intensity! It is the only way our focus can stay where it belongs: on Jesus! The more time we spend reflecting on Immanuel, the more right our thinking becomes and the more centered our heart stays. And, just as importantly, our kids must see us putting actions to our words. If we say quiet time with the Lord is important, they must SEE it in our lives. This past Sunday I offered a short Advent devotion(which the Lord gave me in my quiet time) for my family before we decorated our tree. I admit, I was a bit awkward, but I know God used my feeble attempt to draw my family's attention toward Him. We don't have to be eloquent, just willing!

2. If you are discontent with your Christmasing, do it differently! Start somewhere! Even a small change can create huge waves of wonderful training for you and your family! Sometimes the things we need to change most are mindsets, even fun traditions that have been around for generations! It takes time, but the fruit of your effort has big payoff for your family, especially your children on down the road. Whatever you are doing now IS training your children! Make sure the memories you're making now are worth repeating later. Train them up now in ways that will point them toward Jesus always!

Elizabeth