Christmas this year has crept up on our household, or at least it has for Garth and I and we are now finding ourselves scrambling to feel ready and prepared to celebrate properly. This month has been rather distracting for us and yet amidst all the activity, decisions and preparations our boys have reminded us about Christmas.
Our house isn't one that follows the whole Santa thing. Neither Garth or I grew up with it and never really felt the need to pass that along to our children, so there are no cookies out tonight and we won't be listening for Santa and his reindeer or wondering where he is in his deliveries for the night. We have had to remind our boys that other homes do follow the Santa thing and therefore have decreed that they not mention Santa's questionable ability to deliver toys to all children in the world in a 24 hour period. (Tysen actually stated yesterday that it was "totally creepy" and how on earth could anyone do that? - I know creepy is completely misused, but that seems to be his favorite word as of late).
So what will we do tonight? We will go to the Christmas Eve service at our church and spend some time in reflection on why Christmas is celebrated, sing songs celebrating Christ's birth, and gather with friends after the service. We'll come home and eat fried chicken, potato wedges with dip and share in some chocolate cheesecake and toffifee (my boys chose the menu!!), play some games, open a gift, read and pray together and after the boys are in bed I'll probably force Garth to watch White Christmas with me. All in all a great evening is ahead of us, we're not used to having our Christmas Eve to ourselves as we usually participate in our church's 3 services held each year so this is strange for us all!
Tomorrow morning will find us gathered in our living room to read the REAL Christmas story (no Santa's involved AT ALL!!), pray, turn on some Christmas music, eat cinnamon buns, drink eggnog or coffee if you're Garth and patiently watch each other open gifts - one at a time. It can be painful for the boys to wait their turn, but it definitely stretches out that time for us. We'll then get ready to head out to Houston to spend some time with family. It's a great time for us as we get to slow down a bit and play with our boys doing puzzles, sledding, playing street hockey and having a board game marathon or two or five.
I came across the boys Christmas wish lists the yesterday and discovered that they had made for me - it consisted of two things written in Rylen's quite amazingly legible printing. It said ring and purse. I've already tucked the list away in my special memento box, I found it rather sweet that they would think of me and write up a list to follow. I guess we'll see tomorrow if my list was filled or not. But honestly, the list being written was enough for me!
If I were to write my list it would be rather short I think as I feel blessed already. My Christmas list would contain no articles but rather just wishes for my family and friends:
1. That our faith in the Lord would continue to be stretched and grow.
2. For continued health for us all.
3. That this year ahead would be remembered fondly in spite of the bumps and changes that will occur.
4. That we would be bold and unashamed in where our hope is found.
And with that I wish you a very Merry Christmas, may you discover the true meaning behind it all. I celebrate and we should all be celebrating the fact that God came down to earth in the form of a baby with the sole intent to save us all in spite of ourselves. As one of my favorite Christmas songs says "How many greats have become the least for me? And how many Gods have poured out their hearts to romance a world that it torn all apart? How many fathers gave up their sons for me? Only one did that for me."
Only ONE did that for me - that's why I need to be celebrating.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaVc-Qqw6oA
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