If you find yourself in need of a conversation starter during
this holiday season and lack the necessary creative juices to come up with one
- just roll with “What are your holiday traditions?” This question typically opens up a whole can
of worms!
It brings to mind what customs we grew up with, what we do
now, and what we would love to do in our own homes and circles in the future. I personally have always liked the idea of
hiding a pickle in the tree. Whoever
finds the pickle ornament gets a prize. I honestly have no clue where I even heard
this one and never have managed to implement it. Perhaps next year?
Years ago, a dear woman in town introduced many of us to the
“Jesse Tree” experience. I am forever
grateful that she shared it. When my kids
were younger and life here was absolutely crazy, our “Jesse Tree” devotionals
and daily ornaments kept us grounded and focused on Jesus Christ during the
hustle and bustle of Christmas.
So, what are our traditions?
We gather here on Christmas Eve afternoon to dip pretzels and sugar
cookies in white chocolate and adorn them with an abundance of colorful, sugary
sprinkles.
On Christmas Day, we bake a cake or find something to put a
candle in and sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus.
The chaos here has calmed way down over the years. There are no toys to assemble. Nevertheless, Santa continues to enjoy our
cookies and milk. There are still six
stockings proudly hanging and waiting for him to arrive and stuff full of
treats.
Our Pastor asked me to do the children’s message today. My
topic was Christmas and what I love about it.
Some of my favorites were planned, but some were totally spontaneous.
I was caught off guard right before my turn when a precious family
lit the Second Advent candle. The baby
of the bunch was ready to protest. She was
absolutely beautiful in her red dress, but appeared bored and agitated with all
of the shenanigans. Her Dad delivered
his message about the candle. Then, big
sister helped him light it, while big brother looked on quietly. I wondered what was next. I have never been “THE” family lighting the
advent candle, but I have been in the spotlight many times and outnumbered by
children. Baby girl began to fuss,
squirm, and let her presence be known!
The most amazing thing happened though right in front of all
of our eyes. When her Mom stepped up to the mic with her on her hip and began
to pray, she was silent and totally content.
I know that the Word of God is life and death. It can transform any situation- but I saw it
today again. I peeked during the prayer
to see if they had shoved a bottle or pacifier into her mouth. There was nothing! The Word of God calmed and made her totally
content. It was a beautiful testimony of
Christmas and Jesus. It caught me off guard;
therefore, I referenced it in the children’s message.
The choir sang “Blessings” by Laura Story. The lyrics include this “What if Your healing
comes through tears, what if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to
know You’re near. What is if trials of
this life are your mercies in desquise.
No comments:
Post a Comment