More Holiness Give Me: Reclaiming Chistmas!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Reclaiming Chistmas!

Today I was a little sad when Justine asked if we were going to put the presents out. I reminded her,"no we aren't, we are trying to concentrate on Christ this year." She complained that it just doesn't feel like Christmas without them. Break my heart. I want it to feel like Christmas! That makes me feel bad because presents really are a fun part of Christmas, thinking about your presents and shaking them and all that.

But I want to change what Christmas means to us so I want to put that part on the back burner. Hopefully it is the right thing to do and Christmas is still "fun and exciting". However, maybe Christmas isn't suppose to be "fun and exciting". Not that is shouldn't be "fun and exciting" but not in the sense where we can't wait to see what we are getting, and can't wait to see Santa and can't wait to eat the goodies,(okay, I take that one back). Maybe we have turned it into something it isn't meant to be. Sometimes, I think we have destroyed Christmas a bit and I don't know if we can get it back. Us mom's, (and the two men who occasionally read my blog), need to fight to get Christmas back! We need to reclaim it!

What do you all think? Leave me your ideas on this.

Also, tell me if I am overboard not letting the kids look at their wrapped presents.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...: I think seeing the presents under the tree is a visual reminder for the kids as to why they are there to begin with. I tell them that God gave us the best gift of all, which is Jesus, and that is why we give gifts. It's not what we give or receive, it's the celebration of Jesus.

I'm terrible at writing my thoughts down (that's probably why I don't blog!) so, does that make any sense? I, too, am trying to reclaim Christmas!

I hope this helps!!
Stacy; December 13, 2009 at 7:27 PM
Unknown said...: We never put presents out until the kids go to bed on Christmas eve, I think it is more exciting for our kids when they don't see them everyday under the tree!; December 14, 2009 at 6:27 AM
Megan said...: I put a few presents out for the kids and you're right- they focus on "what am I getting for Christmas." I'm definitely going to use your example and be better next year in "reclaiming Christmas"! I love how you put that!; December 15, 2009 at 6:36 PM
kirstensblog said...: I agree with you, Susan. I truly do. I really believe that over the years, Christmas has changed ever so slowly from what it originally was intended to be. Fun is good. Excitement is good. But what you are doing is right. And different. That is why you feel the "wind on your face" as you are going a different direction than some. I admire you and am trying to follow your example.; December 16, 2009 at 5:01 AM

I know it is long but it is life altering!

C.S. Lewis- Meanwhile the cross comes before the crown and tomorrow is a Monday morning...It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you say it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. But it is immortals who we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendours. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of the kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have from the outset, taken each other seriously - no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption, and our charity must be a real and costly love, with deep feeling for the sins in spite of which we love the sinner - no mere tolerance, or indulgence which parodies love as flippancy parodies merriment. Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses."

"Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are course; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fotune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity." Margaret D. Naduald

" Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. -Nelson Mandela-

More Holiness Give Me

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Reclaiming Chistmas!

4 comments:

Hello, my old friend.

Where are you visiting from?