Charles is expressing his concerns with Carolyn about having no money to get anything for the girls or for each other. She replies to him, that isn't what it is all about...
"It's Christ's birthday, not ours!"
How true, and yet how often we act differently.
Earlier this month, I read a post by Ann Voscamp at A Holy Experience...it rocked me to the core. If you have the time, it is definitely worth reading! It sparked a very deep conversation with my hubbie.
It made us consider... We have SAID with WORDS that it is all about Christ's birth...but have we really proved that is what we believe by our ACTIONS? Do our kids really understand the meaning of Christmas?
I can't answer for my kids...but I know I miss the mark so often. My daily FOCUS is about making family memories, about trees and decorations, fun crafts, baking, lights, caroling, etc....
Sure, I read the bible, and we do our family devotions, and teach my kids from the Bible and have a Bible based school curriculum, we teach the meanings of Christmas...but what am I doing?
My ACTIONS...
MY ACTIONS ARE ALWAYS LOUDER THAN MY WORDS,
Good, better, best. Have y'all ever heard about that principle? I think it was in Elizabeth George's book, A Woman After God's Own Heart, that taught me this principle:
"Good, better, best,
never let it rest,
until your good is better,
and your better best."
There are so many good things out there. Is Christ's birthday forgotten in all that good and fun stuff? Are we getting so distracted by all the good stuff that we sacrifice the better and best? I know I have.
For instance, spending time with your family and friends. I see it all the time on TV and movies...they drill it in that Christmas is all about family, and Christmas Spirit. Decorating homes inside and out, doing christmas crafts, and making christmas goodies together. Making memories. Sharing the Christmas Spirit to all around. Caroling, and Church Plays... Those are good things. Anyone who doesn't celebrate these things is a scrooge and needs some Christmas Spirit.
But...maybe there is a better thing, really focusing in on the true meaning of Christmas in the midst of all the holiday shopping and cooking and crafts and such. Get rid of the commercialism. Right? Make gifts from your heart. Don't go into debt. Spend time with family reading the Bible, focus on Christ's birth, do Jesse Tree devotions, etc....that's better. These are better things. This is kind of where we have been for a while as a family...trying not to get caught up in the good stuff, when there is a better way...
Then, I get to thinking, is that my best option? Is this our best? Maybe the best thing is to forgo the presents all together. Make it about giving to Christ for his birthday and not at all about us. It gets confusing when you SAY it's all about Christ, but then with our actions, put the FOCUS on getting presents on Christmas day. Really confusing. We get all the stuff, but what does Christ get?
But how do we give to Christ? Gold, frankincense and myrrh? I would have to google to even remember what those are...not to mention who knows where to find those things! And how do we give to a baby who is all grown up and in heaven now? No... God tells us we are doing (giving) things to HIM when we do for others. And likewise, we are NOT doing things for Him, when we don't help others. We can celebrate Christmas by giving gifts to Christ, by serving others.
But then there is a little voice in my head...well it's a big voice really...that says, but what about the children? They will suffer for not getting all the fun Christmas gifts and stuff. I will be depriving my children! I don't know who's voice it is. Is it my worldly voice, or maybe the voice I imagine others will have for me... "don't take away their fun and magical memories of Santa and gift giving!!! Don't take away their Christmas!!! What about all the fun memories you have from childhood? What about Elf on the Shelf, and the House Fairy who is Santa's sister? My kids know and believe in all these fictional people. They get excited when they think about them. Who am I kidding? I get excited when I see them! What do I do about all that?
OR Is it my voice of reason that I hear? "I am taking this a little too far. We can do both. Give, and get" Focus on Christ and Santa." I often think of the movie Steel Magnolias (yeah, I know...really deep and spiritual, right?) That character that Daryl Hannah plays? you know the one who goes from heathen, to saved, to super self righteous and praying for all the others who are heathens, and then back to regular average joe christian by the end of the movie. I wonder if maybe I am turning into a "Crazy" christian by considering taking "Christmas" away from the kids.
Then~ I think of the books I have been reading this year. God has used these books to make a huge difference in the way that I think and act. Crazy, Radical...umm...
And I also think, isn't it Christ's birthday, not ours? I mean...what does it mean to "take away Christmas, anyway"?
If Christmas is really all about Christ...then I wouldn't be taking Christmas away from them at all.
I would be taking something that is NOT Christmas away from them. The voice in my head says, "I think that would be best."
Over the years we have asked what is good, better, and best for our family. Each year, we find ourselves discovering a better way, hopefully each year understanding and grasping what God has for us as best. This applies in all areas of our lives, not just Christmas. Our work, our schooling, our service, our worship, our friendships, our activities... Each year our Christmas celebration looks a little different. God, what is Your best way for us to celebrate Your birth, your coming to earth for us? We try to ask these good, better, best questions every day.
So, as we continue to ask what is good, better, best...this Christmas is going to be RADICALLY different for our family. CRAZY, some may say. This week we are going to spend Christmas at two different Soup Kitchens serving others in need. We are going to donate to those in need across the ocean we will never meet. We are going to give away treats we have made that we would usually gobble up ourselves. We are going out of our way to look for ways to serve. I haven't even gone Christmas shopping for one gift. It is Tuesday, December 21st.
We still have Santa, and all the fictional stuff. I can't lie and say I don't love that stuff! But I get carried away and lose my focus time and time again. So, it just won't be celebrated or focused on Christmas morning. To be honest...we are still trying to figure all that out. Trying to determine which voice we are listening to: ours, others, or God's. Hear me when I say this: I don't think it's wrong to have fun and to celebrate. I just think the way my family has been doing it -is mixing two very separate things...and that isn't the best way for our family.
What I do know, is that on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, our family will be focusing on Christ and how we can give to Him. Serving Him. Not ourselves.
As Carolyn Ingalls said, "It's Christ's birthday, not ours."
Here's another post by Ann at Holy Experience that is helpful:
You can visit Christmas Change for ideas on charity recommendations, and practical steps to grow in Christmas Giving. There are also lots of inspirational stories from families, suggested curriculum for your kids, and a blog. I love the focus of the site:
ChristmasChange is about restoring the magic and wonder to the birth story of Jesus. It's about living the reason for his birth. Live ChristmasChange in a way that restores wonder, not in a way that brings guilt, disappointment, or condemnation to your family or faith community.
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