I’ve made lots of things at Christmas time throughout the years; ornaments, hats, scarves, mittens, blankets, Christmas stockings, peanut butter balls, kringla, cinnamon rolls, photo albums, snowmen, sledding runs, and the list goes on but the best thing I have ever made is memories!
Family traditions at Christmas are the best.
My first memories of Christmas are of my daddy, with his big Bible, reading the Christmas story on Christmas morning. After he finished reading, he led our family in prayer. This was the focal point of our day.
When Dave and I were married, he read the same account from Luke 2 and then one of us would lead our family in prayer. Now our daughters’ do the same with their families.
I know there were Christmases when the gifts were few, but I don’t remember that because it has never been about us and what we got. The focus has always been on Christ and what He gave. His birthday, although the actual day is uncertain, was and is our reason for celebration.
We have many other traditions for this Christmas season – the nativity that is the center piece of our Christmas decorations, the special carols, our trip to the woods to cut the tree, kringla (a Norwegian cookie) and cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning. But if we forget the reason for the season, it’s just another commercial holiday that leaves us feeling empty and disappointed with “that’s all I got”.
As parents and grandparents it’s our responsibility to see that the traditions we establish point upward to Jesus and not inward to self.
“But you must say the things that are consistent with sound teaching. 2 Older men are to be level headed, worthy of respect, sensible, and sound in faith, love, and endurance. 3 In the same way, older women are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 so they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, homemakers, kind, and submissive to their husbands, so that God’s message will not be slandered.” Titus 2:1-5
We teach by word and by example. Our words really have no value unless they match the day-to-day life that we live.
“Obey God’s message! Don’t fool yourselves by just listening to it. 23 If you hear the message and don’t obey it, you are like people who stare at themselves in a mirror 24 and forget what they look like as soon as they leave. 25 But you must never stop looking at the perfect law that sets you free. God will bless you in everything you do, if you listen and obey, and don’t just hear and forget.” James 1:22-25 CEV
Over the years the location of our home has changed but the memories remain. The love and laughter, the prayers and the tears. Our faith in the Lord and His provision, protection and amazing grace grow stronger.
“But without faith no one can please God. We must believe that God is real and rewards everyone who searches for him.” Hebrews 11:6 CEV
The wisemen came from the East searching for a King and found the Savior, we who search for Him now find not only a Savior but a loving and gracious Lord.
Make memories this Christmas season; fill your hearts and your homes with the love that only Christ can bring!