Posts Tagged ‘christmas’

I bet there are people who live their lives never thinking to themselves…”Did I just say that out loud??” Unfortunately, for me and those around me, I am not one of those lucky few. When I celebrated Christmas this year with my family, I heard those words running through my head again!

Every Christmas, my mom, my two sisters and I, plan a day for the four of us to go to lunch together and have time away from the chaos of the kids and men! This year was no different, as we headed out to lunch the conversation turned toward my blog and my writing. This is where the brilliance happened.

I was telling them about the different ideas I had on topics I wanted to write about when I shared my most recent idea, an idea that wasn’t completely thought out, yet. “We all ruin our kids, we may not mean to and we do the best that we can but in the end, we ruin them.” Ahhh, yes…my two sisters and my MOM are in the car, remember. As my sisters heads spun around backwards simultaneously to looks at me (and with no audible words the both said, “No you did not just say that!”) I sheepishly, glanced over at my mom sitting next to me who was now repositioning herself in her seat to look at me straight on and I said “I mean we all do it….its not on purpose….”

Her response was, “Really, so tell me how your Father and I ruined you?” I glanced toward the front seat and noticed that my sisters had both become consumed by the beautiful Iowa scenery outside of the car, actually it was more like a longing to be anywhere other than in our car.

Did I mention that the idea was not completely thought out? We did survive our lunch together, there were beautiful gifts given at lunch and that helped!! I don’t know if my mom really ever understood what I meant but I will try to explain.

I have a lot of really bad habits and sinful ways. Things I am not proud of and I know without a shadow of a doubt I am passing on some of those things to my children. I could be a much better communicator. My children will learn how to communicate relationally from my husband and me. We are their examples and we are imperfect! But we are not the only ones. The only human being to be perfect was Jesus, so, I am making the leap that anyone who is a parent is going to pass on some bad habits!

Maybe ruin was too strong of a word. I truly believe that it is not intentional but that it is human nature. As parents, I know that Michael and I are doing the best that we can and are committed to keep trying and be the best examples that we can for our kids. But, we will fail at times and maybe the best thing we can do is tell our kids when we screw up and let them know it is ok to make mistakes but get right back in the race.

Establishing some type of counseling fund wouldn’t hurt either! In the end we are all damaged goods but Glory to God that we have a Savior who loves us no matter how damaged or ruined we are!!

I was struck recently with how little the material things that we surround ourselves with, really matter in the end. When my grandmother had to be admitted to a Nursing Home a few months ago and my mom described her living space, I was devastated for my grandma. It wasn’t the fact that her space was small; it was the fact that so much of what she had loved and had always surrounded her self with, would no longer be with her.

I have never thought of my grandma as a materialistic person and I still don’t. It was the realization that my grandma’s home was gone. My grandparent’s home had always been a place where celebrations had happened. Whether it was someone’s birthday, Christmas Eve dinner or a special girl’s sleepover, grandpa and grandma’s house had always been a very special place. Some of my fondest memories took place in their home.

But if you asked me to name 10 things in her home that I thought had significant meaning to her, I probably couldn’t. When I think about it, it all seems so pointless to work our whole lives to accumulate things that in the end “you can’t take with you.” Society has become so driven by who has what and what is the next best thing to get, must have or cant live with out….whatever. So why then, especially during this time of the year, do I run around looking for the new must have, cant live without….whatever?

Suddenly, it occurred to me the other day that what I would be missing about my grandma’s home and what ultimately matters most is relationships. I will miss the simple days of celebrations at my grandmas home when grandpa was still alive and all of us kids lived in the same state and all of my cousins would come around! It is those relationships that I treasure and grieve for the most. My grandma, happy and available to have a chat with, or a spontaneous sleepover! My grandpa, tickling me and discussing the latest sports drama with my brother and dad. My siblings, around me, bugging me, but some how all part of creating this home and place that I miss. Not the objects in the home, the relationships that happened there.

It shouldn’t be a surprise then that God’s greatest gift to us would also be in the form of a relationship. A relationship with His son. He could have come to this world, driving the latest it mobile, but he didn’t, wearing the latest must have but he didn’t and ultimately He was and is the cant live without! I think God sent Jesus in such a humble way, to demonstrate, that it isn’t about the material things in this world, it is about our relationships.

My advice for this Christmas, celebrate your relationships! Tell someone you love them, forgive them, cherish them, believe in them, understand them and value them. And most of all receive that most precious of gifts, a relationship with Jesus Christ!

Merry Christmas!
Luke 2:10-11
“But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people. 11For to you is born this day in the town of David a Savior, Who is Christ (the Messiah) the Lord!”