Keeping the Focus Right
I love the Christmas season. I love the shopping, the wrapping, the baking, the family moments, and especially the gifting. But one thing that I need to keep in mind is, that no matter what we can or can’t do, as far as gifting goes, is not what really matters. Knowing why we are celebrating, and being with family to celebrate the greatest gift of all is what makes all the difference.
I had a rude reminder of this just this week.
We had a family emergency that took a good part of the money we intended to use for Christmas gifts, so there won’t be as much as we thought we would be able to do.
I began to panic, thinking I would have to choose which of my kids to leave out.
Then God corrected me.
My focus is now on what I can do, and what God has done, rather than what I can’t do.
I know this to be the truth, that the attitude that Dan and I present to our kids about Christmas, and anything else in life, is more important than the gifts we will or won’t be giving them.
Having our faith in God to meet all our needs, without worrying and giving in to being down about what is not; and having the joy that can only come from knowing the true meaning of Christmas, is a better gift than anything we could ever give, or receive from another person.
Our tree is not lacking for gifts under it.
The kids have been blessed by being able to give to each other, and we have been blessed to be able to give something. Maybe not all we had hoped to give them, but in the long run we are giving them the best that we can- even in hard times- the faith and joy of the knowledge that the best has already been given; Jesus.
Merry Christmas. I pray that you will know the joy that can be yours through the best gift of all, and that the true meaning of Christmas will bring you peace and a future filled with hope and love.
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