We save money so we can get that one special gift.  We go to tons of  stores searching for that one special gift.   We can’t find that one special gift.  UGH!  The stores are packed with people all looking for that one special gift.  This time of year we get into a mood that we should have all year long.  Giving special, thoughtful, loving gifts.  It doesn’t have to come from a store.  It could be a card, a meal, helping someone who is under the weather clean up their home.  Swapping childcare with a mom whose hubby is gone alot.  A cup of coffee with a new mom who is lonely and needs a friend. 

I am going to pose a question that I hope you really ponder on for a while.  You know why don’t you go get you something to drink, coffee, tea, water, a soft drink, and I will wait for ya…go on..get a snack if you need one.  Okay..so here is the question.  What gift are you going to give Jesus this Christmas?  I will give you a minute.  (the Jeopardy tune is playing in my mind..is it in yours?)  Will it be, more time with Him, reading your bible daily, a better prayer life, serving others more, getting involved in church, forgiveness,  repenting from sin in your life.  Think about this, Christ came to earth as a baby when he could have come as a KING, what he is.  God sent his son, humbly to live as we do, to serve us and to in the end give the ultimate gift..salvation through death on the cross.  I really want to pray about what I am going to give to Jesus and I am going to write it in my bible so I can remind myself of it. 

In the hustle and bustle of Christmas we make our list of who we need to buy gifts for:  husband, kids, parents, extended family, friends, teachers, etc.  Do we ever place Jesus on that list?  I want to make it tradition that when I sit down to write out my list for gifts, Jesus is at the top. 

I pray that you and your family have a wonderful Christmas filled with love, laughter, joy, peace, and health.  May the true meaning of Christmas flood your heart and  home.  Many blessings to you and your family this Christmas and in 2010.

I wanted to continue our “conversation”  about how to less stress the holiday season.  As I wrote earlier I attended a class about how to bring down the stress level and bring up the blessing level for your family.  I wanted to share the tips and ideas.

B:  be willing to evaluate and start over if need be.  What traditions are your families favorites?  What favorite memories from years past do they talk about every year?  Ask them about holiday foods.  What do they love and not like?  Just because Grammy made a jelly mold every year when you were little doesn’t mean you have to too. 

L:  link up with others to divide and conquer.  Have a cookie exchange, wrapping party, recipe exchange.  I heard of another ” exchange” that sounded very interesting to me.  Host a food exchange.  You have 4-6 friends that each make one thing 4-6 times depending on how many friends are there and than you swap.  This gives you many dinners for the busy months. 

E:  encourage Christ-centered traditions.  Advent wreaths and calendars, devotions at dinner, serve in a shelter, attend a live nativity, Christmas plays and cantata’s.   Read the Christmas story several times during the Christmas season. 

S:  simplify your gift giving. The more gifts people receive the less content they are.   Our kids receive enough gifts from extended family so we started giving them 3 gifts from us.  Jesus received 3 gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh.  What is your gold, frankincense and myrrh?  You don’t have to find the perfect gift.  It has already been given.  Jesus came to earth as a babe and grew into a man that went to the cross and died for you and me so that we would one day be with Him in eternity.  That is the ultimate gift.  When you are looking for those special gifts, pray first.  Ask God to lead you to the gift that will touch that person’s heart and make them feel love.  Don’t fret over giving the greatest gift.  It will rob your joy for the Christmas season.  Give the thoughtful gift. 

S:  scatter kindness during Christmas.  Say thank you.  Fire houses, nursing homes, shelters, soup kitchens, someone who is alone.  Give cookies, cards, candy, flowers.  Take your little ones and let them sing Christmas carols.  Smile and say MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone.  As Christians we need to ditch this “happy holidays” mambo jumbo.   Be bold in your faith.  Know why we are celebrating Christmas.  If you know of a family or older couple that is alone, invite them for Christmas dinner.  The more the merrier!!  Let the love you have for Christ shine for all to see.  Remember that little ones are watching and we set the example and direction to where and what we want Christmas to be in our home. 

I hope these ideas have been fun to read.  I found a great website on planning and prepping for the holidays and I wanted to give it to you.

www.gomominc.com

I have looked around and it seams to be really good.  I can’t wait to grab a cup of coffee, a pen and paper and jot down some notes.  Let me know what you think.  Share some of your ideas for Christmas.  Let’s learn from one another…

I attended a women’s luncheon this morning.  It was lovely.  They spoke on their recent mission trip to Haiti.  They told of how God moved them during their mission trip.  They spoke about the “God Stops”  that occurred.  You know, those things that make you say…”that was a God thing”  They shared about the environment and the poverty.  They were down their ministering to women and children.  They taught, prayed, encouraged and loved those Haitian women and children.  They gave them gift bags with different items in it.  They went to the special needs area and ministered to those kids.  Then…after they spoke about it they showed a slide show. 

Now, when you hear someone speak it moves you, but when you add an image to it…whoa!!  The photo’s spoke volumes to what God did while they were down there.  The women that were overjoyed with the gift bags.  The circles of prayer that we saw in the pictures.  The delight on our ladies faces knowing that the presence of our everliving God was there.  Than they showed the special needs center and I lost it.  It really hit home with me.  Having a child with special needs, in a wheelchair, needing full time care, I know what goes into this kind of lifestyle.  I know the weariness and exhaustion that parents get.  These kids though were in a center.  And not just any center, one filled with poverty.  Oh, the humbleness that poured through me.  Tears bounced from my face as I thanked our heavenly Father for the blessings he has given my family and than prayed for the children in the slide show. 

We don’t know how well we have it.  I know that the economy is bad and people are loosing their jobs but man…when you look at areas like Haiti it is mind boggling. 

I know that those women left for that mission trip with anxious hearts.  Hearts filled with anticipation, fear, and excitement.   I also believe they came back women on fire for Jesus.  They witnessed CHRIST!!   One of the ladies said she could tell that the Haitian women were hungry to learn about Jesus.  How about you, are you hungry for Christ?

footnote:  a friend of mine graciously gave me this newsletter.  You can click to download :  haitti-mission