Keeping Jesus as the Focus

Thinking about the theme ....Keeping Jesus as the focus in our homes

during this Christmas season,

I had so many thoughts go through my head!   I am not a 'writer' and

at times like this I so wish I was.  But I am going to share what I can in 

relationship to what our family has done over the years..and also what

we 'should' have done even more of to keep the focus on Jesus!!

As a family, we wanted to glorify God in all that we say and do, not just

during the Christmas season but all year long.. 

When the kids were small we didn't 'promote' Santa Claus and looking

back it just never was a big problem for us to have Jesus as the focus.

 

My mom bought Fred and I a nativity set the first

year of our marriage and it was a tradition every year to put

it out as soon as Thanksgiving was over.  It wasn't a "no touch" nativity

and we used it more than once to reenact the birth of Jesus story.

We went to church as a family and the children knew the story of Jesus' birth at an early age.
 It was understood that Jesus was why we had
Christmas, not for Santa Claus to bring presents.  Oh I
remember the lists that were made of what they wanted under the
tree on Christmas morning but they also were taught that the
important gift was Jesus!  The gift that forever changed the world!

 How God gave his only son for us so we could have eternal life...

I was an amateur piano player but we had an old upright piano and Fred
would get out his guitar (another amateur) and we would sing Christmas
Carols around the piano.. The Bible says to Make A Joyful Noise unto the Lord
and we definitely did that!!  All 5 of the kiddos really seemed to
enjoy this..

We did make a birthday cake for Jesus quite a few times but I can't say it
was a tradition that was kept "every year"...
but we would sing Happy Birthday to Jesus

We always opened gifts on Christmas morning..The only
gift that the kids opened on Christmas Eve....guess...yes pajamas!!
That is one thing they got every Christmas...new "Christmas themed pj's"

Christmas Eve quite often
was spent going to Christmas Eve services,

 taking drives to see the Christmas lights and decorations...

then on Christmas morning
"after" the gifts were opened...we had our tradition of cinnamon rolls,
juice, and milk.  Just a light breakfast because we would be going
to my parents house for a family get together and lots of food...
This menu seems to have followed all of our children as they also have
that same breakfast now in their own homes..

Looking back I know I am forgetting a lot of things that we did but I do
know that I have thought several times I wish we had done even more in
actual worship to our Lord during the season but we did what
I think the Lord was leading us to do at that time in our lives.
Our 5 children grew up with the knowledge that Jesus was the
most important part of the Christmas celebration..and thankfully
they are continuing to believe that truth.

Now as it is just Fred and I we talk a lot about past years...about how
Jesus has been such a vital part of our lives.  Not just at Christmas but
the whole year through.. How He led Fred into full time ministry..
led us to India to preach the gospel to those who had never heard...
 We have found ourselves wanting to keep Jesus as the reason for
the season even more than ever before.  We always believed it
and lived it but sometimes didn't share it enough with others.
This year it has been the center of our preparations, plans, and even
picking out gifts for the family and others.

I have been blessed with a husband that loves the Lord and loves me!!
And what is so neat it's all because of Jesus...and that is
why I never want to forget the reason for the season....

JESUS!!