The countdown to Christmas has begun. Yesterday was Black Friday and the shopping frenzy continues through the weekend. I have long since learned that Black Fridays never really saved me any money. I either bought things that wouldn’t have been on my shopping list to begin with just because of the “sale”, or I settled for a less superior make or model of something I wanted because of the “deal” as opposed to waiting for what I really wanted to go on sale or work a little harder or longer to save for it. I did not venture out this weekend. Instead, I enjoyed spending time with my whole family, (Ben, & the girls). We have loved Ben being home with us since early Wednesday. It has been a rare treat for him to have this much time off of work. Watching the news of all the chaos at the stores has made me think back to when Becca & Robbie were little, (now 19&20 yrs old), and the regrets I have over our Christmases. If I could go back and change anything it would be to focus more on what Christmas is about and less on gifts. Whether you like it or not, if you celebrate Christmas, you are celebrating AND validating the birth of our Lord and Savior.
Some of my most precious Christmas memories are from a time when I was a hard working single mom. I could never afford more than two gifts each at most, and they were humble ones too. I had to wait until a week before Christmas to buy a little tree. Lol, I liked to call it my Charlie Brown tree. One year I didn’t buy any gifts. I knew my children would be getting gifts from their father and my family, and after paying all my bills I just didn’t have any money left. My son always had a good attitude about it, maybe he was good at hiding his disappointment. My daughter, a teenager at the time took it harder. I know it was because of what she had grown accustomed to over the years before, (floor full of gifts). It wasn’t her fault, it is how she had been raised. SO much focus on presents and what we’re going to get. I failed at teaching them the true meaning. See, I know what Christmas is and therefore I am perfectly happy to not receive any gifts and still feel so blessed and feel like I’m experiencing something magical every Christmas season. I just didn’t pass that on.
Here I am raising two little children again and I want to make certain I share Jesus with them all year long especially on Jesus’s birthday. There is nothing wrong with shopping and gift exchange, but if that is all you focus on this time of year, it will never be about anything else.
Remember this year that Jesus is a king, our King, and he saw it fit to be born in a manger. That’s a barn, in the midst of animals. He is a Lord that teaches humbleness, humility, peace. Not extravagance. Let your extravagance be in your praise.