Making the Most of Every Opportunity

I blogged last month (read the posts  here and here ) about our choice this Christmas to give up receiving gifts and instead seek Christ together and give to the least of His people. Have you wondered if our Christmas day was odd without getting gifts? It was hands-down the most incredible Christmas I've ever experienced. We kept our traditions of writing things we love about Jesus on paper ornaments (but skipped stocking stuffers attached), eating birthday cake, and reading/acting out Luke 2 and Matthew 2. I just felt overwhelmed by the truth that Jesus IS THE treasure our hearts seek. And He so freely gave Himself to us. I'm so beyond thrilled to be His and the time we had to reflect and pour Him into our kids all morning served as a sweet reminder to me of Jesus as THE gift.  And then we went online to give through Gospel for Asia. That was so much fun and such an amazing feeling. We really are so very rich and it felt so right to spend our riches giving to meet...

I shared yesterday that we aren't giving each other any presents this Christmas. Not even stockings. And we are thrilled to do it. You can read more about how God lead us through our 6 year old's discomfort at receiving gifts on Jesus' birthday in my last post ... but here's where we left off: How can we give Jesus gifts on His birthday??? Though there's an obvious celebration we have as we eat cake, sing, read his birth story, remember Him, and seek hIm together, what about giving a gift? Here's the answer God gave Andy and I as we sought Him:  “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when...

This year, we aren't giving each other any gifts. Not even stockings... Not one wrapped present for us to open Christmas morning...  and we're SO excited!!! Want to know why???? ‎"The aim of God at Christmas is to make the goodies of the world lose all their attraction in comparison to the surpassing glory of the divine Name. The essence of Christmas purity is not what you stand against, but what you stand in awe of, the glorious name of God."- John Piper We have been floored by a simple question Jimmy asked and it’s literally reshaping Christmas for us. Here goes “Mom. I love getting presents, but I don’t feel right getting them on Jesus' birthday. Shouldn’t we be giving to Him?” The wisdom of that kid hit me like a brick. At first I started sharing how our gift giving is out of love for each other and reminds us of THE gift of salvation that came because Jesus came to earth as a lowly human baby…  But I couldn't shake his logic and then I started readi...

Last year, I shared that we'd be trying an advent tree. It consisted of 25 daily Scripture readings, each symbolized by an ornament we hang on a felt tree to help set our hearts on Jesus during the busy, Christmas season. We had three weddings in three weeks in three different states, and as a result, traveled so much last December. Having this small, foldable, easily stored felt tree to pull out at each stop brought a little consistency to our trip and gave us our own little tradition that carried through each different place. We hung it from hotel lamps, on a nail near our friend's back door, on a dresser drawer knob at grandma's, and finally, on our living room wall at home. We loved it and are doing it again this year (though without the travel), so I thought I'd post some pictures of it: day 25 ornament is a gift, and there's the Scripture card several ornaments and their cards Day 1- Holy God and sinful man. putting the last ornament on the...

I'm praying through what to share this Christmas season and thought it might be good while I'm processing all God's showing me to just take today to link to last years series... You can see -our advent calendar -Christmas Eve / Day traditions - my thoughts on Santa -a good book/dvd/Christmas craft list -ideas for sharing Christ with family -and a clip from the Jesus Storybook Bible...: Read them all HERE at last year's Christmas season posts .

I read an awesome post on one of my favorite marriage blogs,  the Romantic Vineyard  about Christmas during a season of lack . They are going through a series on hindrances at Christmas and shared really openly about their own season of lack and God's provision for them in it. It was so sweet for me, because I know Christmas when money is tight or when we have no paychecks. We have had many of them. In fact, our last 4 years have almost always included short or no paychecks in October/November. This year, though we are able to pay our bills, we are once again in a season of financial lack as we look right past Christmas and anticipate paying for my csection and the arrival of our precious third son a week or so later. God has met me in such incredible ways and lavished His grace on me as I've confessed my fear (that it'll become more than a season and could lead to debt) and my dependence and trust in man (we receive any pay based on churches and individuals who give...

One new thing I wanted to add into our school day this season is a weekly advent event/craft/ reading to engage in looking back at the prophets who proclaimed the Messiah was coming and show how Jesus fulfilled that and to look forward to when He'll come again in full reign on earth. I needed simple, since we're in kindergarten, but engaging, because I'd like it to become a tradition in school years to come. My friend Virginia Knowles has a wealth of knowledge and love for Christ and does an awesome job pointing her kids to Jesus. She shared many of her Christmas traditions on her blog and I found our weekly "look back and see Jesus" time there. She shared an awesome and simple  4 night family advent blogpost . You could do this in a four day period or once a week over four weeks. We just did #1 this week- learning about Immanuel, "God with us" and being reminded by the Christmas lights in our neighborhood that Jesus is the light that pierced through...

I've heard several friends mention that they make a "Jesse Tree" each Christmas and i had NO clue what that was. Ha! So I looked it up. The tree gets it's name from a passage in Isaiah:   “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord.”-   Isaiah 11:1-2 So, it's a tree that points to Jesus as the fulfilled Messiah. People do all sorts of different versions and it's fun to see how families remember. Some people find cute toys/trinkets that remind them of certain aspects of Him (like a small toy fish to remember His miracles, toy tools since he was a carpenter, nails and a cross to remember His death, etc..) Others have a more formal tree with actual glass ornaments and different Scripture painted on them. This year, we are doing one that just seemed ...

I read a blog by  Matt B. Redmond   that, at first, seemed insensitive, but as I read further it really moved me. When we weep and mourn and struggle at Christmas, it can lead to a truer worship. In our lack, we see our need and can look to Jesus alone for our joy. Praise God He did not leave us in our sin and suffering but came to suffer and die Himself to save us. JOY is possible in our suffering this season and maybe even more real in our hearts because of it. "Christmas—the great story of the incarnation of the Rescuer—is for everyone, especially those who need a rescue. Jesus was born as a baby to know the pain and sympathize with our weaknesses. Jesus was made to be like us so that in his resurrection we can be made like him; free from the fear of death and the pain of loss. Jesus’ first recorded worshipers were not of the beautiful class. They were poor, ugly shepherds, beat down by life and labor. They had been looked down on over many a nose. -Jesus came for those w...

I hope you've caught on through these posts that we LOVE the Christmas season and love having fun celebrating in tons of different ways throughout it. By now, if you’ve read along this series, you’ve probably noticed that Santa hasn’t been mentioned in any of our traditions.  A few people have asked me to blog about it. I've been hesitant. I am young(ish). I've only been a Mom 5 years. I'm pretty confident that I have a lot to learn and I'm not an expert. I certainly do not want to assume that I know what is right or good for other families (and keeping Romans 14 in mind as I type) and so I hesitate. But mainly, I do NOT want to take the focus off of celebrating Christ and His incredible love and grace in this blog series.  And yet, I believe those that asked genuinely want to know what we teach and why. Some of you are prayerfully considering how to celebrate Christmas. And I am seeing that blogging means sharing (in humility) what God has lead us to in this ...

I just read a really helpful blog for many of us who want to share Jesus as we come together with our extended families and friends this Christmas. It's a blog on CJ Mahaney's website called "Home For the Holidays " sharing tips from Charles Spurgeon (a pastor in the 1800s!) that applies so well today. He taught from the the passage in Mark 5:1-20 where Jesus exhorts him to  “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you” (v. 19) Some quick tips he expands on: Christmas is suited for sharing the gospel with family and friends. Aim to share the story of God’s grace in your life. By sharing we edify believers. By sharing we reach lost friends and family. Be alert for one-on-one opportunities to share your story. Don’t expect this sharing to be easy. Overcome this fear by sharing to honor your Savior. Share your story with gratitude to God. Share your story with humility. Share your story truthf...

In my last post, we left off Christmas Eve after reading Luke 2 from Daddy’s Bible and filling out paper ornaments that shared what we love about Jesus.  When we wake up Christmas morning, the first thing we do is our stocking hunt: -Jimmy hunts through the upstairs of our house for small "stocking stuffers" that are wrapped. Each has one of the ornaments we filled out the night before in it. We read it in praise to God for Jesus. We raise our hands and say "Praise the Lord that Jesus always obeyed the Father" or "Praise the Lord that Jesus is God!" -Once the hunt is over, we slow down and Andy prays thanking God for sending Jesus. I need this small moment the most, because it redirects my heart away from "tradition" and back to the precious gift of Jesus, "The Lord Saves".  Then, we RACE downstairs to "hang" the ornaments on our paper tree and see how the house looks (remember, we decorated while the kids slept) all decorat...

Here's something we enjoyed as a family today: a video of the Christmas story out of the Jesus Storybook Bible http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTSJsi7ymcc&feature=player_embedded HT:   Doug Wolter , via   Justin Taylor

Keeping Christ Central the Whole Season: Christmas Eve We really get excited thinking about Christmas Day. Christmas Eve is a great time to redirect our excitement from all the things we will get (ouch!) back to the real gift- God with us, Jesus taking on flesh to save us from our sin. One annual “must” for us is to celebrate with our church family at the children's service. There is something so special about setting apart certain times annually to gather together in special celebration of Jesus and Christmas Eve always has that feel. My favorite part has always been singing "Silent Night" in candlelight. I get tears just thinking of all of us singing "Christ the Savior is bo-orn." He IS born! Immanuel- "God with us" came from heaven to us. Beautiful. One funny memory for us will always be that Jimmy was a donkey in the play last year and continually turned around backwards to stare at himself on the big screen. Ha! Once we’re home, we continue th...

How can we teach"earning vs. receiving" theology? One way we like to bring it into our conversation with our children is during the times of gift giving (birthday, Christmas, and Easter morning especially) We don't want our kids to think they can earn or lose good gifts. Gifts are given out of love, not earned. (In the same way, we know that obedience only comes out of love. When our kids know Christ, they will want to obey, not the reverse.) We show (and explain) that "unearned free gift" teaching in all our gift-giving with the ultimate hope that our kids will see that though they don't deserve God's love,  God gives that undeserved love and forgiveness freely through Jesus to all who call upon Him to be saved.  "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" - Romans 3:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eter...

My last post was long, so here’s a short one:  Here's the advent calendar I want (cute drawers to fill with candy, presents, and scripture) once we can afford it: But for now, we have this homemade felt tree and will be using it as we read through Scripture to encourage us to remain excited as we come closer to the celebration of Christ's birth! We also bought a chocolate filled one for fun to go with it (yum!).  Though Andy grew up celebrating Christ's coming through the  Advent  season, this is my first advent experience, so I’ll let you know how we like it.  As a couple, each morning we're reading from  Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus: Experiencing the Peace and Promise of Christmas , by Nancy Guthrie, a compilation of old and new theologians to stay our minds on Christ. What an incredible season of hope. So excited to fix our eyes on Jesus throughout Advent!  In my next post will share about our Christmas Eve traditions. We LOVE Ch...

I have always enjoyed fun and traditions. I'll share some specifics about some things we do on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the next few posts, but today, here are 10 ways we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus during the Christmas Season: 1) We have a sticker chart on our calendar to countdown. Ending on Christmas with the sticker given at church that says "Sound the horn. Christ is born!" 2) We love to make fun crafts all December- paper snow flakes, ice cream snowman (this year marshmallow snowman), paper candles, foam ornaments, etc. (the snow focus gives an opportunity to talk about Jesus as pure and sinless and how His death and blood washes those who are His white as snow.) 3) We read the Christmas story broken down into weekly chunks from a children’s bible daily and act it out or make crafts to act out: (1st week- angel visits Mary and then Joseph; 2nd week- Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem and Jesus is born, 3rd week- Angels tell the shepherds -Last year...