It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

I have a goal every year for the Christmas season - it's always to slow down and enjoy the season, take the time to reflect on my heavenly Father and the incredible gift of His Son. With so many other things fighting for my attention this can be SO hard sometimes!!! So, leading up to Christmas I'm going to share with you some things that I've found that we will be doing this year and I hope you and your family will join us in making some new, Christ centered traditions! I read an article in Home Life Magazine that dealt with this very thing and wanted to share it with you.

Have a Mary Christmas by Karen Kingsbury

Kelsey was 6 when she sat down at the table and created a homemade Christmas card for me. "Mary Christmas, Mommy," the card read. Beneath the words was a drawing of a Christmas tree, a cross, and Kelsey and me holding hands. I stared and stared at that card because the message was more profound than my little daughter could've known.

Mary Christmas?

The picture came to mind of the Bible story about two sisters - Mary and Martha. Luke 10 tells the story of Jesus paying a visit to these women. Martha raced around the house doing the work, tending to the preparations and missing out on the Visitor in her midst. Mary, though, sat at the feet of Jesus and reveled in His presence.

Martha was busy, but Mary was blessed.

At that point, I was pretty used ot having a "Martha" Christmas. Racing around the house to put up the perfect decorations, racing through the mall to look for the perfect gifts, overbuying because I would forget what I'd already stored in my Christmas closet, and missing out on so many simple moments.

The image brings to mind one of the saddest Christmas news items ever. It happened in a New York Walmart the day after Thanksgiving 2008. A large crowd had gathered outside the store, anxious for Black Friday bargains. At 5 am the throng of frenzied shoppers exploded into the store, trampling to death a temporary employee who had unlocked the doors. A man died because of Christmas greed.

The horrific incident reiterated the message of Kelsey's simple Christmas card once again. I recommitted myself to creating a Christmas experience marked by the simplicity of sitting at the feet of the newborn King. I came up with three ways I can do this - three ways all of us might truly have a Mary Christmas."

I will be sharing Karen's 3 ways and some of my own ideas between now and Christmas. Feel free to share ways that you and your family slow down and focus on Christ during the holiday. Praying that you all have a Mary Christmas this year!!!