Yes, Christmas is Coming — That is a good thing!

Every year we get to this time of year and two things happen:  People start playing music and other people start complaining about it.  It generally strikes me as funny how Christmas decorations start to whip people in a frenzy.  It is as if they have suddenly realized that this holiday is now coming and there is so much to do.  I am one of the people they are annoyed with because I have embraced fully the season of Christmas.  In fact, I look forward to it all year.  I do this because it brings such excitement to our home (and also there are cookies)  At the same time, I tend to keep it simple when it comes to Christmas.  We set a budget and we stick to it.  We do not use credit cards for gifts.  We don’t waste time trying to impress people because they know better anyway. We just enjoy the season.  There is no reason getting stressed out and maxed out in debt in order to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  In fact, I think it misses the point of the whole season.

Jesus Christ came as a baby in a most humble way, to extremely ‘insignificant’ people and the world has never been the same.  What are we to learn from that?  I think it comes down to two salient truths:  1)  Focus your heart on gratitude and worship and 2) Take time with people over time with stuff.

Focus your heart on worship and gratitude

The point of our lives is God’s glory.  We exists for His glory.  When we remember this, it makes each day significant for us.  I realized that my life is in His hands and my heart leaps with joy.  This is the heart of this season.  God did not just leave us alone in our sin; He came so that He would die for the people (even me and you) that rejected Him.  It is amazing that Christmas actually has very little to do with pickled herring.  (and that is probably a better thing than I would like to admit)

Take time with people over time with stuff

We have spent time over the past few years helping family and friends not buy us gifts.  We would much rather spend time doing something with people than receive a package in the mail.  Sure we get our kids a few gifts, but we save more money for things we can do throughout the year as a family.  This actually creates a better overall family atmosphere and sets up our family time as important and an integral part of our entire year.

So Christmas is coming and yes it is a good thing.  Who knows maybe your humble Christmas might be the one Christmas you remember for the rest of your life and aren’t paying off for the same period of time.

A game of follow the leader with a 2 year old leader.

Follow me

We went out after dark this past weekend.  I guess that is not as dramatic as it sounds seeing as it gets dark at like 4:30.  But still it is a big deal to take the family out to dinner and then to a store.  The two older boys needed shoes and the younger two needed nothing.  So we needed to divide and conquer.  I figured since my idea of shoe shopping is not doing it, I would let my wife take care of the shoes and I would chase the other two through the store.  It turned into a game of follow the leader.

It was actually quite funny because these two had no agenda.  They just wanted to walk the perimeter and see what they saw.  They would look at me and say “come on dad.” I followed along and tried to prevent anything from falling off shelves.  My daughter would stop and check on random things saying, “oh, cute” as she touched them.  Someone had a cart full of baby stuff and she climbed up the side of it and admired their things.  When the couple looked at her she said, “hi, I am Claire, this is Siah (Josiah) and that’s daddy.”  Then we were off.  Kids have a way of finding the toys and so we ended up there.

This is where it became so fun for me to watch.  They touched all of the toys and pushed all the buttons.  I actually did too.  But I loved their enthusiasm as they took things off the shelf and said, “oh, cool” and quickly went to show the other one.  They did not ask me to buy anything.  They were just excited to be touching toys that they don’t own.  It was actually quite the sight.  I loved it because they were so simple about it.  Everything was amazing, even the toys that I know will break in 30 seconds.  They loved them all and had such wonder about it.   It was such a calm moment that I stopped to thank God for it.  There was no chaos.  There was no rushing.  There was just enjoying the moment together.

Christmas brings that out of adults too, but it is usually stifled by stress.  I know so many people will talk about what it means to enjoy Christmas and remember the birth of Jesus, but the honest truth is that so many people still get roped into the consumer driven Christmas.  It is sad, really, because there is so much more to it than presents and credit card debt.  Kids teach us things like that as they run around in the dirt or build things out of snow.  They show us how this whole “enjoying of life” thing works when they walk through a store with no agenda and showing kindness to random people.  (some of them ignoring her)  Kids are learning too many negative things from the adult world surrounding Christmas.  I think it is time we stop and follow them around for a while.  It will give perspective and it will make you get your hands full of paint.   It will make you slow down and appreciate an early morning.  But, I believe it will also bring back a little of that  sparkle that is missing  in so many today.

I hope you have a Merry Christmas and find that the celebration brings joy, not stress.

 

He Already Wants To Drive

As I have lamented in recent posts, summer is going quickly.  In yesterday’s post I chronicled a few highlights from our trip to New Hampshire, a trip that fits nicely into the ‘quality family time’ heading.  As important as those family events are, I have become more and more convinced that my children will need time with me on an individual level.  This has become especially important as they have gotten older.

My first time taking one of my kids to something specific was a few years ago when I took my oldest son to a Green Bay Packers preseason game.  At that event, he was able to convince me to buy him a foam finger and a bowl of overpriced popcorn.  He had a great time at the game and still talks about it today.  It is certainly these things that he will remember.

Now as my other kids are getting older, I have been more mindful of doing things with them.  In May, for example, I spent a few days in Minnesota with my 5-year-old son in order to attend my graduate school graduation.  He had quite the adventure, which I chronicled here in two different posts. (here and here) My oldest son could not attend that event because he had school.  He wasn’t too upset about it, but still I thought I should do something with him during the summer.

Last week I was able to take him on his first trip to Six Flags New England.  There are a few things I learned during our trip.  I should specify that it is about a 3 hour drive from our house to the park.  So, I decided I would use a free hotel night I had and make it an overnight trip.  We left on Tuesday and went to the park on Wednesday. Here are the things that I learned or observed during our trip.

Genuine Gratitude is Sweet 

It was amazing to me how simple things, like going out to eat, are so appreciated by my kids.  This is something we don’t do too much of and when we arrived at the restaurant my son could hardly contain his excitement.  He got out the crayons and circled what he wanted, which actually reminded me of another meal I had with him alone.  He read the price to me and asked if I had enough to pay for it.  That was very sweet to me.  He also told me not once, but at least half a dozen times, how much he liked that I took him on this trip. We even got dessert, which is something we never do.   The lesson for me is that gratitude is awesome to receive and I should probably give more of it myself.

It is Truly the “Little Things in Life”

It is funny how often people will make comments about how simple-minded kids are.  “I guess it is the little things in life” they will say.  Well, I am here to tell you that it is.  Having 4 pillows to yourself on a bed is invigorating.  Swimming in a hotel pool is relaxing, especially when you have it all to yourself.  Raiding the shelf of every flyer about every tourist location is important and makes for cheap gifts for the other kids.  Buying a $5 slushy at the slushy bar and sitting in the shade together is money well spent.

My Son Wants to Drive

We spent the day at the park and rode the cars about 10 times.  I remember how exciting it was for me to be able to drive something as a kid.  In fact, after I rode a roller coaster that made my head spin, he told me to “chill out” for a while so he could ride the cars by himself.  I let him and he even made a friend with some random kid in line.   I should point out that when I was a kid I loved roller coasters.  I could ride those things over and over again.  I don’t know what happens when we get older, but I do know that my son was correct in his assessment of my need to chill.  There were very few lines that day which meant we were able to get off a ride and go right back on.  That is the dream of any ride enthusiast, but can be nauseating.

Stopping For Dinner After Bed-time Works Sometimes

The day was long and we left the park at about 6 p.m.  Of course, there was an accident on the turnpike which made travel slower.  We were both rather hungry since I was determined not to spend $25 on some deep-fried lunch for the two of us.  We ate our slushy and shared an order of cheese fries and then stopped at Subway on the way home.  It was the perfect end to the day and we only spent $13.    He mentioned a few times how cool it was that his brothers were in bed and he was having dinner.  “Is it dark at our house dad?”  Keep in mind we were only about an hour and a half from home at that point.

Talking Non-Stop Means You had a Good Time

The next day he got up and talked non-stop about everything he did.   He had a map that showed all of the things he did and he was happy to show that to his brother.  I guess this means we will be going again sometime.   He was about an inch short for the biggest roller coasters there, so he has something to look forward to next time.

Riding the sky ride– annoyed that I want to take a picture

No gifts will be returned in this house.

I hear that people who estimate are estimating that there will be $46 billion in Christmas gift returns this year.  Honestly, that makes me uneasy.  With all the effort that so many put into gift giving and the extra work that so many people do in order to afford these gifts, it seems completely rude to just turn around and get cash for them.  One of the most exciting parts of Christmas for me is to be able to watch my kids open up their gifts that we have carefully chosen for them based on their likes.

As you see below, they really did enjoy their gifts this year.

Taking the toolbox to bed

Riding the tractor and singing

New Lego set

We hope to teach our kids to be thankful for whatever is given to them, no matter how large or small.  If it isn’t their favorite thing, that is alright because someone thought enough to get them something.  We should never take it for granted that we will get loaded with gifts.

We have a lot to be thankful for.  God gives to each one of us so many good gifts.  Even the worst of circumstances have blessings in them, even if they are hard to see.  I know if I enjoy giving my kids gifts this much, I can’t even imagine what it is like for God to have given us all that He has.  When Jesus came it was in love that God sent Him.

So, I am thankful that God loved me so much that He gave me a way to Him in Jesus Christ.  I am thankful that in this world now there are people who love my family and bless us in many ways each year.  My kids are amazing and even all the early mornings and stress are worth it when I get that little “I love you so much dad.”    To watch them open up their gifts that we chose for them was amazing as they jumped up and down in excitement because it was appreciated.  Sure, it is just stuff, but it is the idea behind that stuff that makes it important.

This year my 7-year-old son took an ornament off the tree, wrapped it in a box with a handwritten note that said, “To Mom and Dad.  You guys are cool. Peace.”  To some that would be ridiculous and tacky.  To me it was the most precious thing because it was something he did on his own for us.  He was simply giving from what he had.  I would never want to take that back for any amount of cash.

Let’s not reduce this season of giving to a bunch of money changing hands.  It that is all it is, then let’s not do it anymore.  I have had enough of the money thing and the constant drone about how retailers need to make money.  Who cares how important this is for retailers?

It is about the people, not about the dollars.