2009 Merry Christmas

What have you done with your family to draw everyone closer to the Savior who we celebrate his birth today?  Is it all about the gifts?  Do our kids really need all the beep beeps, bells and whistles? 

Coming from one who gave them as many of those bells and whistles as we could pull out years ago...

No, they don't. 

We've had people approach our children letting them know how sorry they felt for them.  Our children didn't get the latest and greatest electronic device for Christmas, so they were going to give our children their "old" systems to play once they get their new ones for Christmas.  Oddly enough, my kids didn't want those old systems, nor the pity that came with it.

If the wise men/magi could bring 3 gifts to the King of Kings, why couldn't we simplify to those 3 gifts too?

We've successfully done just that.  Here they are, their meanings and what we've done with them this year.
Gold-Something they really want...
What did my kids really want this year?  DS#1 wanted an erector set, t-shirts with scripture messages on them or a movie.  What did he get?  The t-shirts.   DD wanted anything to do with beading.  What did she get?  Something to help her get more organized with her beads and a wire beading starter kit.  DS#2 just wanted bead containers (buy one gets one he found in the Joann ad) and Beverly Hills Chihuahua the movie. 
Frankincense-Something they need...
PJ's work well here.  This is the only time during the year my kids get new store bought pj's on purpose.  No, we're not bad parents.  Our kids have so many things that they can't even fit them in their drawers. {More on this later}

Myrrh-Something for their spiritual growth...
DS#1-A Young Man After God's Own Heart by Jim George
DD-Raising Young Maidens of Virtue by Stacy McDonald
DS#2-Created for Work by Bob Schultz
Each of our children decided for themselves to take their needs and wants money to pool them in to one to have money to get gifts for one another.  We did not have to make them do this. 

For us, there was a greater focus for our family to be givers this year.  We're already starting to plan for our giving for next Christmas.  Worthy causes for giving abound.  We've found special joy in Operation Christmas Child through Samaritans Purse.  We also love doing the angel tree for local families.  We've increased our giving this year, thankfully, by the grace of God.  We're planning to increase our giving even more next year. 

Giving monetarily is not the only way one can give from the heart.  One can serve dinners to others, serve in church, play or sing music...truly the possibilities are endless if one just sits back and expresses the desires of their heart to the Lord. 
The warmth one feels when one works hard baking and planning and upon delivery see the joy and love on the faces of the recipients is all worth the effort. 
The beep beeps and such need batteries, upkeep and so forth, but lasting memories are priceless.  A child who takes a dollar a month out of their meager allowance to gather things for a shoe box for a child their own age helps them to see that there are others in the world who are in need.  We're so very fortunate.  We've set a budget for our Christmas giving and we've tried very hard to stick to it.  We may have gone a little overboard with our giving to others, but $30 over isn't all that much in the grand scheme of things.

What did I get?  My husband unexpectedly bought me a toaster oven.   We'll use it in the basement during the colder winter months that will be coming our way soon.  My oldest son took his money and bought me the Love Comes Softly 2nd Trilogy.  The younger 2 bought 2 different vanilla based bath sets as well as some lip gloss.  What did I have on my list of "wants"?  A toaster oven and some lip gloss.  LOL  I mentioned to everyone, "Geez, I sure must not smell too good since everyone got me soap!"  ROTFLOL  My sweet wonderful neighbor brought us some delicious creamer.  Yes, I said creamer.  What deliciousness in a bottle!  There was Coconut Cream and Chocolate Mint Truffle.  Yummy!

My husband got a tshirt, a book on card games and A Husband After God's Own Heart by Jim George.  He was just as happy too.  Praise God! 

Through all this, I do believe we can honestly say that we've arrived on to the level of simplicity we've been striving for.  Or, better said, we've become more content with what we have, what we get and what we give. 

Blessings,