Each year brings a new season of activities for Christmas. I can remember when our girls were little and how they were so in awe of the magic of Christmas. There was so much excitement with all the hustle and bustle of preparing for the big day! Shopping for all of the special things on their lists and keeping the magic alive by perpetuating Santa Claus and his elves.
I always went a bit overboard because I wanted to buy all of the things for them that I didn’t have when I was a child. The first Christmas that Ashley was old enough to open her own presents was a little too much. We had Christmas morning at my mother-in-law’s, at my dad’s around 3:00 and then by 7:00 at my mom’s. By the time we began opening gifts there, Ashley was just too tired to open any more.
Now that the girls are out on their own, we’ve downsized our gift giving a lot. It’s more about spending time together. Ashley and her husband, Michael, are in Utah now. So, spending the Christmas season together won’t happen as often. Danielle and her boyfriend came on Christmas day, but soon, even that will change.
All of the decorations and gifts really aren’t what Christmas is about anyway. It’s all about the baby in the manger. The real gift is the coming of Jesus to earth so that he could walk among us and ultimately serve as the final sacrifice. His perfect life given in place of our sin-filled lives so that we could spend eternity with him in heaven.
I don’t know about you, but that story is a whole lot more promising than the story of Santa Claus. I fun to think about the magic and mystery of a man flying around in a sleigh pulled by reindeer. But, the promise of a Savior who came to redeem us, offers so much more than material gifts. It’s the Messiah who came to save us all from what we actually deserve. Thank you, God, for loving us like you do!
In Faith,
Pam
Where God Leads 