Pointing them to Jesus in the midst of cultural celebrations.

One thing I’ve learned since becoming a parent is that you don’t have a lot of time with your kids. Ephesians 5:15-16 says, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” Brian and I recently sat down to really be intentional about the ways we plan our schedule. One of our top priorities we filter our schedule through is making quality time available for us to pour into Ari. I remember reading a blogpost written by a mom who realized she only had so many summers with her kids, so she was going to make the most of it. With Easter coming around for the first time for our little guy, I realized we only have so many ressurection celebrations, 18 in home, Lord willing, to point him to Christ, and I want to make the most of that time.

“Will we do the Easter bunny?” I asked Brian this recently. No, was his answer, with an explaination along the lines of…yes, little gift baskets and eggs if people want to give them to him, but Easter’s not about the rabbit.

“So…if it’s not about the rabbit…or chocolate eggs…what will we teach our children it’s about?” I began asking for wisdom on how God would have us celebrate Easter. As a mom, these are the things I spend time thinking about, planning for, so we can create a fun loving environment for our children to learn about Jesus in. Because of that, a lot of my prayers have become very practical these days. 😉

It was literally just this last Christmas that I even learned what Advent means. It’s only been the last few years I’ve actually begun to meditate on the message of Christmas and Easter. Why is this? I grew up in a Christian home, I went to church on those holidays along with many other Sundays in the year, and I could tell you with my mouth what those celebrations were about.

But my heart didn’t get it. As I really began to think about how I desired to convey Jesus’ message for these celebrations to my family, I realized that in some ways, all those gifts and material things that I looked forward to at Christmas and Easter did get in the way. That’s my own coveteous heart’s problem, I realize that. But I didn’t want to create any sort of stumbling block for Ari trying to grasp the great things Jesus has accomplished for him.

No, I am NOT saying don’t give your children gifts. Obviously both of these holidays were about God giving His only Son as the best gift to all of sinful, rotten, smelly humanity, and I want to be a parent that reflects that same sort of love.

So, what am I saying?

Gifts need to be given in the context of the gospel and the Greatest Gift Giver needs to be talked about. Jesus gave His life, so we reflect His love by giving to other. We don’t deserve to get anything special on these days, but parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other family members may choose to give gifts to show their love.

Aside from that, Brian and I decided that we want to practice the Passover Meal celebration as a family. This would put the focus of Easter on Jesus a few days BEFORE any gift giving would take place. And Passover is just so, so cool. It’s such an awesome reflection of the better Passover that takes place at the cross for those who are covered by the shed blood of Jesus.

A friend of mine shared this fun Passover meal how-to a few years back. I’m gathering all the odd supplies this week, and am anticipating learning about what each of them represent. Like horseradish? Yuck! (I think that’s the point…haha) Here are some ideas for putting together a traditional Seder Meal as well.

I also can’t wait to go through Love to the Uttermost this next week. I went through John Piper’s advent readings in December, and it greatly helped me see Jesus’ mission in coming to the earth, so I’m excited to learn more about Jesus in Easter.

These seem like such simple things that we should get by now, huh? haha Nope…we’re always under construction, as I’ve heard a recent teacher say. 😉 Until heaven, I will continue to look to Jesus for direction in all these things. 🙂

I know God’s methodology to celebrate these great days in history differs for each family. I’d love to hear some of the traditions you’ve incorporated into your celebrations. 🙂

Happy Almost Holy Week! 🙂

In Christ

Christmas & the gospel.

Yesterday morning, two ladies and I were sharing of some of the stresses that come with the Christmas season. “So and so got me a gift. Now I have to go find them something. I’ve got to make sure my neighbors get something too, as well as my husband’s co-wrokers.” The list really could go on and on and on and on. I don’t think this is our original intention when we set out to get those closest to us gifts, but by the end of those two weeks leading up to Christmas, your energies are spent, most likely your money and gas as well, and you’re all out of flour and sugar because you’ve outbaked all the other ladies in your neighborhood and church circle.

First, let me say there is absolutely nothing wrong with gift giving. Christmas is about the BEST gift any of us could ever have recieved!! We can model God by giving good gifts to others as well. We all know John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son.” Satan likes to take good things, like gift giving, and pollute them. He wants to take our genuine desire to show other’s love through giving and turn it into something where (if you’re like me) you feel guilty for not having the best gift, for not having more to give, or, sometimes, for not being able to give anything at all. Because I genuinely LOVE to give other’s gifts, but often can’t make them as nice as I would love to, I end up feeling condemned. Isn’t that just crazy!? That’s not at all the heart God wants us to have when we give. He desires a cheerful giver!

This is the first year I actually did some advent reading. I didn’t even know what it was until about a week ago when I asked Brian about it. haha With the hopes of keeping my thoughts on God’s Word all day long, I’ve been reading a short, short devotional during Ari’s late afternoon nap. I found John Piper’s Good News of Great Joy and downloaded it onto my Kindle. I just picked up from whatever day that was, and it’s been crazy how in just a few days God is showing me how little I actually know about the purposes of Christmas! I really need my mind to be renewed to what HIS purposes for Christmas are.

After talking to these women yesterday, realizing the heaviness some of us are feeling this year, or have felt in the past over Christmas and giving gifts, and considering the reading I’ve been doing for Advent this last week, it dawned on me that Christ died to give us freedom from that! Stressing about wrapping paper, meal plans, making sure everyone has enough gifts under the tree, and other endless anxieties that count entertain our thoughts for weeks and months before Christmas, is not what God ad in mind for us when the conception of the first Christmas took place. He wanted us to have spiritual rest, physical gifts or no physical gifts. The coming of Jesus, born as a little baby, was supposed to be the most freeing thing His people could imagine! We couldn’t GIVE him a perfect gift, which was the problem to begin with. Nothing could cover our sins. So He HAD to give the perfect sacrifice. God already gave the BEST gift, so we shouldn’t worry about what we can or can’t give to others. Jesus came to relieve our burden, not to turn His birth into something that weighs us down with anxieties.

Meditating on that while we were in prayer yesterday morning really brought forth a new rest for me in this Christmas season. I had completely forgotten that the gospel actually has something to do with Christmas. Christ gave Himself, and the purest gift ever, so I don’t have to lose sleep about being good enough. I will be able to sit on the couch and watch others around me open their gifts with a thankful heart that I can never lose the best gift of all: Jesus and His everylasting love for me.

Am I the only one who ends up feeling this way year after year? Now that it’s out in the open, it can’t be used against me as a secret fear anymore. 🙂

I really hope some of you weary people out there can find rest in the gospel today. Really take some time to look at your “family traditions” and see if they line up with God’s purposes for Christmas. If they don’t, and they’re causing way more stress than rest in Christ, get rid of them! Your family will survive without the hand rolled cinnamon buns, and the huge spread Christmas morning! Ask God for wisdom, which He is always faithful to give when you ask for it, on how to celebrate Christmas with your family. What works for you may not work for another family. One very practical thing God highlighted for me this year was that He came to this world as a baby missionary. Christmas is about being on mission. Up until this year, I’ve NEVER even thought about that! I don’t know if I’ve actually ever acted it ANY missional way (besides attending church, maybe?) on Christmas. It is my hope and prayer that, starting this year, we can reach out to the community around us in some small way as an act of being on mission for Christ. A friend of mine baked some sweet treats, included a little handout for our church’s Christmas Eve service, and took it to her neighbors. I thought that was a great way to be missional! I believe our family is handing out donuts and hot chocolate to the homeless people in our city next weekend (if you want to join us). By next Christmas you will most likely have forgotten what everyone got you the year before. Heck, by Friday most of us will have forgotten! But there’s one thing you can count on: God will NOT forget what you do for the least of those in the world (Matthew 25:40). Get out and serve with your family! Let your good works glorify our Perfect Gift in Heaven this Christmas season!

In Christ,
Lexy

P.S. My husband wrote about a topic very close to our heart’s as a family on his blog today. Check it out!