A Grown Up Christmas

I was always told that Christmas is WAY more fun when you have kids and...for the most part it is.  But, what everyone fails to explain is that in addition to the joy there also comes a new sense of responsibility.  When you yourself are a child. the decisions are made for you.  The traditions are in place and you simply partake in the wonder of it all.  However, as the adult, those traditions, those intricasies, are up to you.  Not that this is neccesarily a bad thing.  But, it is a thing.

I think what I realized this year, is that Christmas is so much more than what the media and often we, ourselves portray it to be.  Far beyond the reach of Santa Clause, Frosty, Rudolph, and the Grinch Who Stole Christmas, far beyond the trees, the lights, and the ornaments, far beyond the shiny paper, the bows, and the presents which they conceal, and far beyond the cards and cookies and candy, Christmas is really only about TWO things.

First and foremost, Christmas...is about the GREATEST gift of all and that is Jesus Christ.  The fact that God cared enough for us, a race that fell of its own accord, to send His only begotten Son so that we may freed from the bondage of our sin is THE ONLY gift that has enternal importance. 

Therefore, THIS gift, not those found under the tree or hidden throughout our homes, should be our focus.

Secondly Christmas...is about family.  Our family is quite common in the fact that we do not live close to both sets of grandparents.  We are truly blessed to be near one but the other is on the East coast making it diificult at best to spend time with them during the holidays.  As I watched my husband and our girls open presents with Apples and PopPop via WebCam I was struck by the enormous gift that family is.  Likewise, this year due to circumstances beyond her control, my grandmother missed both Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations.  My entire life, Christmas Eve has been spent at my grandmother's house and although I realize that as our families grow some traditions will change, her presence was greatly missed.  We called her yesterday, in order to wish her a Merry Christmas and make plans to see one another next week, and she was suprisingly upbeat.  I was in some ways amazed by this because even though she was unable to be with us she was still able to enjoy the day and the time that she did get to spend with my mom and dad.  Perhaps, this is where the awe of it all hit me.  Differences are bound to occur and arguments will always take place but at least for one day each year all of that should be set aside and each and every one of us should take joy in the fact that we have...
each other.

Do I believe that Santa, or Frosty, or Rudolph are wrong?  Do I think that homes should remain stark without the warm glow of Christmas lights?  Do I think that presents should be forgotten and candy should remain uneaten?  NO!  What I do believe is that when it comes to our girls we are going to do our best to ensure that they understand that without the love of God and family all of the other is worthless at best.