12.2.17 // Expecting the Messiah: What Our Culture Has Done with Christmas
On
your marks, get set, GO!!!
1. Turn on the Christmas
music… Check!
2. Get a Peppermint Bark
Latte… Check!
3. Watch unending Christmas
movies… Check!
4. Buy special Christmas
wrapping paper from kids’ school fundraisers… Check!
5. Make an advent calendar… Check!
6. Give some cash to the
Salvation Army Santa… Check!
7. Say, “Merry Christmas,” as
you pass a stranger… Check!
8. Be reminded that you
should say, “Happy Holidays,” instead… Check!
9. Take Christmas pictures
for Christmas cards… Check!
10. Order Christmas cards... Check!
11. Mail Christmas cards… Check!
12. Determine your Christmas
budget… Check!
13. Participate faithfully in
“Elf on the Shelf” tradition (and be supermom with regard to creativity)…
Check!
14. Plan for teacher gifts… Check!
15. Buy/make teacher gifts… Check!
16. Help kids shop for their
friends… Check!
17. Send treats and gifts for
your children’s classmates… Check!
18. Pick kids up early from
school on early dismissal days leading up to Christmas… Check!
19. Take off of work to stay
home with kids while they’re on winter break… Check!
20. Stress a little (or a
lot)… Check!
21. Make a Christmas list for
everyone you need to buy for… Check!
22. Buy all of your Christmas
gifts (Brave the mall or pay the extra shipping to shop online…) Check!
23. Maintain your Christmas
budget… Check!
24. Wrap all of your presents…
Check!
25. Mail gifts to out-of-town
family and friends… Check!
26. Decide what to cook/bake
for all Christmas celebrations… Check!
27. Cook/bake all of the items
for which you’re responsible… Check!
28. Bring kids to Christmas play/musical
practice… Check!
29. Attend kids’ Christmas
plays/musicals/parties… Check!
30. Make sure everyone has new
outfits for Christmas Day… Check!
31. Attend special church
services for Christmas… Check!
32. Maintain your Christmas
budget… Check!
33. Stress a little more…
Check!
34. Get Christmas decorations
out of the attic… Check!
35. Buy a tree… Check!
36. Decorate tree… Check!
37. Don’t forget to water
tree… Check!
38. Decorate the inside and
outside of your house… Check!
39. Buy batteries for all of
the kids’ new toys… Check!
40. Attend Christmas parties…
Check!
41. Split time evenly between
all families…Check!
42. Cook Christmas breakfast
and dinner… Check!
43. Etc. Etc. Etc… Check!
Check! Check!
44. Rejoice in the birth of
Christ…
Are
you exhausted yet? I am! I was exhausted about 1/5 of the way through writing
this list. And I’m sure this list does not encompass everything you feel you
need to accomplish this Christmas season. But before you let the items on this
list completely overwhelm you…
Slow
down, friend! The Lord does not want to you to be worn out and stretched thin
as you try to hold your Christmas plans, traditions, and responsibilities all
together. #1-43 of this list are NOT and should NEVER be the focus of
Christmas, but all too often, they become the primary focus because they seem
to be pressing needs that HAVE to be done in order to meet all of the Christmas
expectations. Our culture has made Christmas into something that the Lord never
intended.
No,
you do not have to buy $7 gift bags for every gift so that even the gift-wrap
is picture perfect.
No,
you don’t have to be the mom that gives $20 gift cards to every teacher.
No,
you don’t have to one-up the moms on Pintrest in your Elf-on-the-shelf
endeavors.
No,
you don’t have to spend more money than you have just to keep up with what
others are spending/doing.
And
if you feel like you do need to successfully “check” off everything on the list
above, you will be exhausted, overwhelmed, and in over your head. While there
are necessary things that need to be done this Christmas season based on the
way your family chooses to celebrate Christmas, don’t get bogged down in all of
those secondary things.
As
I ponder Christmas this year, I’m convicted of how my busyness and exhaustion
will affect Riley Grace. Will she see me focus on gifts, parties, money, Santa,
stress, etc. more than Christ? Will the genuine celebration of Christ be pushed
aside for temporal and worldly celebration? Will the 5-minute reading of the
Christmas story plus a few Christmas songs be all she hears of Jesus in the
midst of new toys and Christmas treats? I truly hope not…BUT where will she
learn the true meaning of Christmas?? From my husband and me! And if we’re
focused on the wrong things, then that’s what she will learn. She will learn
that Christmas is about gifts, parties, Santa, etc., and that it’s about Jesus
for a few minutes on Christmas morning. That is not ok!
So,
ALLLL that to say, focus on Christ! Be intentional about setting your mind on
Him. Read John 1 and Colossians 3 and Philippians 2. Remind yourself of the
depth of God’s love, Christ’s sacrifice, and our hope. And with that fresh perspective and reminder,
set your mind and heart this season on the wonder of a baby in a manger! The
rest of the temporary things will pass away, but the reality of the 1st Christmas should
be imprinted on our hearts and cause us to fall down in reverent worship!
Merry
Christmas!
Always,
Jacquelyn
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