Let's Conspire to Create an Amazing Christmas

Today is the girls' last day of school for a week.  Mix a week off of school, an upcoming trip to NYC, and finally a nip in the air and I'll tell you our family is ready to kick off the holidays!  How about your family?  Before an Elf arrives, or the tree goes up, or you even start to burn up those credit cards in the name of Christmas, I want to share this incredible video with you.  I have used this video in speaking to church groups about Christmas for the last 5 years.  I love it!  I watch it every year ( a few times actually) to help me remember to keep what's important, important and to let the rest go.  It is my first step in striving to create an incredible Christmas for our family each year.  I hope it will inspire you to think intentionally about your Christmas season this year.  Over the next few weeks I will be posting four ways to make your Christmas season not only incredible for you - but for your fellow man both near and far.

I hope you will take a few minutes to watch this video - and let's kick the holidays off right!

Loaves, and fishes, and shoeboxes

Once a little boy handed Jesus his lunch and offered it to feed a crowd of hungry people.  One little boy's lunch passed through the hands of Christ, fed thousands. 

I turn on the news and see the devastated, I flip through the paper and see the hungry, and drive through town and see the hurting.  Through the lens of my adult eyes, I see the needs, I feel hopeless.  I turn on the news, I feel powerless.  I read the paper, I want to give up. 


But then my little girl gave up her birthday party gifts.  She said she had enough.  She invited her friends to help her fill shoeboxes instead.  She let the birthday gifts intended for one little girl, pass through the hands of Christ, and He multiplied them into Christmas gifts for twelve little girls. 

And through this beautiful child of mine, I see that Jesus still multiples fish, and loaves, and shoeboxes too... if only we're willing to offer them. 

We need a little Thanksgiving right about now

It's time to take down the ghosts and spiderwebs.  With the mall already decked in evergreen, the pull is strong to go ahead and decorate for Christmas.  I'm here to say, "Hold the tinsel sisters!"  Now this isn't a plea to stop the insanity of Christmas starting in September, this is a plea on behalf of your weary soul.

Maybe, like me, you are entering the end of this year looking back thinking, "Whoa, did all that really happen?"  This year, Facebook feeds and headline news merged more than ever before.  I used to check Facebook for dorky suburban updates, this year I checked it to read the status of friends and their children being shot, dying, houses burning down, diseases out of horror movies, and divorces worthy of Lifetime movies.  My soul is weary.  Is yours?

Last November, a friend of mine, who had had a terrible year, put her Christmas tree up the first week  of November.  She said she just needed something happy to happen in her house.  She needed to sit by the twinkling lights of the tree and try to feel okay.  I get it.  I really do.  Hallmark and Martha Stewart have sold us a story that happiness is available if we just put up the decorations, buy the gifts, and bake the cookies.  If that is true, why not put up the decorations early?  Why not try to find a few extra weeks of peace?  We need it, right?

Well, we do need peace and happiness, but deep down we all know their story is a lie.  Only the Prince of Peace, the King of Kings is going to flood your home and heart with the joy and peace you're looking for.  You say, "That's why I want to decorate for Christmas early - to celebrate Jesus, to welcome the Prince of Peace."

Sorry. Nope. Again, let's be honest.  Scripture doesn't tell us to enter his presence through an evergreen decked door.  How does Scripture tell us we should approach and draw near to Him?

"Enter His gates with Thanksgiving,

and His court with Praise." (Ps 100:4)

We don't need to get tinsel, we need to give thanks.  We need Thanksgiving.  It's through giving thanks to God for our many blessings that Scripture promises us that we will draw near to Him.  It's the true way to the Prince of Peace, regardless of how Hallmark has told us to get there.

So hold the tinsel my friends, and let us enter into a 22 day feast of praise and thanksgiving.  Let us savor each of the next three weeks to count blessing upon blessing, even amidst chaos, and sadness and death (because that too He has conquered).

Instead of covering your house with tinsel 22 days early, cover it in gratitude.  Hang poster board on the walls and let your kids list their blessings. Write the names of every friend, co-worker, church member, neighbor, service provider, teacher, and family member on pretty paper and plaster your kitchen with it.  Make a Thanksgiving Tree (and make it big).  Play contemporary praise music and old fashion gospel.  Read One Thousand Gifts and start making your list.  Take out some lipsticks and write on every bathroom mirror.

For God so loved the world He gave his one and only Son.  (John 3:16)

or

Great is the Lord and most worthy of Praise (Ps 48:1)

or

Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy (Ps 47: 1) 

or

Behold, I am coming soon! (Rev 22: 7)

Friends, will you join me in coating this month in thanksgiving and praise?  When we take the time to count our many blessings, our burdens become lighter and our joy becomes greater, after a season of thanks, I know we'll find that when it's time to hang the tinsel, a true season of joy will be waiting for each of us.
 (Orginally posted 11-2012)

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Raleigh area readers - I would like to invite you to a parent workshop "Putting Christ in Your Thanksgiving and Christmas Celebrations,"  on Wed, Nov 13th at Bay Leaf Baptist Church  at 6:30.  The class is free and childcare is available.  Email me for more info at wschulz@bayleaf.org.  I hope to see you there!