Jesus is the Reason for the Season

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace



Us as Christians know this. That Jesus is the reason of the season, but even as Christians, we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of decorations, trees, baking, shopping, gifts and greed. What should be a time of year to become closer to our Lord and celebrate the most wonderful day of the world, his birth, has even been manipulated by the Devil. Once again that Devil has found a way to entice us and wrap us up in the unimportant aspects of this holiday. The original concept of gift giving was a way to show people love, but now it is a way to buy people's love. People are consumed with buying, and wanting, the most expensive and up to date gifts and kids are disappointed when parents and "Santa" don't buy them everything in the entire toy store and don't realize they don't need it. Want, want, want. It is the word that makes this world selfish. I try to explain it to my kids, but even they are selfish about gifts. They look through the Toys R Us Big book and say they want it to everything (except the girl toys). I feel like I haven't taught them very well how to celebrate Jesus on this Holiday.

Just the other day I told my oldest, who is now 7 1/2, that we are attending worship service at 10am on Christmas Sunday, and he got mad!! I was shocked. I know he knows what Christmas is all about, but his reaction to having to go to church on one of the two most important days of the year, instead of staying home to play with his new treasures, made my heart unhappy. How do I draw that fine line. It's ok to get a few gifts at Christmas but it's NOT ok to be greedy and forget the real reason for the holiday. Jesus comes first! How did he miss that lesson? I think this year we are going to heavily concentrate on the story of the nativity and the real story of Christmas and remind them that the gifts are just a bonus, but not the reason for the holiday.

I want it to come naturally for my kids to just live with Christ in their hearts. I know that this is difficult for all humans because we are sinful beings, but I want them to wear Christ daily more than the average person. I want them to strive for that too.

I pray this season for people to step back from the commercial side of Christmas, accept Jesus into their hearts, and that I help my children understand the importance of the real meaning of Christmas.

God, please help my children keep Jesus and you in their heart this Christmas season, give me the words to share with them and others the true meaning of this holiday. Help others to step back and celebrate Jesus' birth and give to others who are in need instead of spending all their money on what they don't need. Help people realize that these bought gifts are merely things and that the real gift is what is waiting for us in Heaven. Keep us healthy and let us use our able bodies to serve others in need this season. Thank you for my many blessings and for your constant love and forgiveness. In your name I pray.

Amen.

Lord I lift your name on high!

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. I'm sure you all have heard or at some point in your life even sang this church song. It's about telling everyone the good news of Jesus, not hiding him but sharing him and the light he gives us when we know him. If we share our light and pass it on, then the next person passes it on, then we could light up the whole world! Wouldn't that be nice? Too bad it's not that easy. Too bad we have the Devil to contend with that wiggles into our hearts and minds and pushes us to make bad decisions and act in an ungodly manner. It's a battle that each of us fights everyday.

I can't believe it's been 4 months again since I've posted on this blog. It has been a whirlwind for the last few months and I am just trying to keep my head screwed on tight. I feel lifted up lately. I feel closer to God than I ever have in my life and I am doing my best to share my faith and surround myself by faith centered people. I have become even more involved in our church lately and feel motivated and led by God to work with the youth of our church. My brain moves a thousand miles a minute thinking of new ideas to try and get the youth more involved and more motivated and have been working directly with the Youth Director of our church to help wherever I can. Since my last post I have convinced our Youth Director that we need to take our youth to the National LCMS Youth Gathering in San Antonio, TX in July 2013. She has never been herself - I went in 1998 to Atlanta, GA and it was by far the most amazing thing I've ever done in my Christian life. I can't even explain to our youth how awesome it was and will be for them, and they aren't yet convinced that it is what they want to do, but I'm hoping to convince them. It is an awesome experience to worship and praise the Lord with 30,000 other youth and leaders from across the country.

Though my motivation is to work with the youth and I feel God leading me in that direction, I feel that I am failing miserably as a parent. I take the kids to church each Sunday and they are involved in all that they can be at church for their age, but once we get home I drop the ball. I say things about Jesus from time to time, but don't do any children's devotionals with them, or read them Christian stories or talk about Jesus in everything we do, and I strive to be much better about that. I don't want them to think that being a Christian stops at the door of the church. I also pray that my own family (sisters and parents) will find the Lord again and find a church that they can become a part of and worship with because we all went every Sunday growing up and it makes me sad that they aren't as active as they used to be.  So I will continue my work on myself and with the Lord. As we approach this Advent season I hope you all feel closer to the Lord and find a church that you can worship at and be a part of. It's so important to keep Him close. "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit" Galatians 5:25

God help me to put the spirit of the Lord in my own children daily and teach them about their Savior and his sacrifice for us and His love that is never ending. I pray that I can teach them to talk to the Lord daily and serve Him in all they do and not be afraid to tell others about their love for Jesus. I also pray that I can help my parents and sisters find the Lord again and realize that making time for the Lord, as they used to do, will renew them daily.  -Amen.