Women's Espirit Christmas Article

I was asked to write the following article for The Women's Espirit website,http://www.womensesprit.org/mylife/mylife.pg1.html, and I thought that I would share.  Stop by and browse the site.  It is filled with touching, spirit-building articles!  Merry Christmas to all of you!

'Tis the season of gift giving! As mothers, we enjoy giving gifts to our children. We plan birthday party details from the invitations, to the cake, down to the color of the plastic ware.

Our Christmas decorating and planning begins in early November. We bring out our inner "Martha Stewart" and bake, shop, wrap, get glitter everywhere, and bake some more. All of this is done in the hopes of seeing glowing faces on Christmas morning. We sit back in our comfort chair, wrapped in the love of the moment, and congratulate ourselves for another well-planned Christmas season.

This is all well and good. Our savior is a gift giver. He created the beauty of this world for our enjoyment. He has unwrapped and has given us the gifts of healing, happiness, forgiveness and grace. He gave us the ultimate gift by laying down His life for us. There is no greater love. Even our children are a reward from Him!

As long as you are within your budget, don't feel guilty for the good things that you do for your children, family and friends. The holiday season is a special time for rejoicing, for merriment, and spending time with the people most important to you. It is the most wonderful time of the year!

However most of us, me included, are guilty of sheltering our children from the needs of those around us. Sadly, there are thousands of children without presents, sugar-sprinkled baked goods, nativities, and lights. This year, strive to teach your children the true spirit of giving. Help them see that the Lord gave them life's entire blessing for one special purpose - that is that they might give in return. Teach them that the greatest gift of all is to give!

There are so many ways for your family to reach out this year. Sponsor a child for the year though Compassion International, take your children on a shopping trip to buy several warm blankets and pass them out to the homeless in your community or bless one of our missionary families with a surprise package.

Plan a family grocery outing and take non-perishable food items to your local food pantry. Shop for gifts and surprise a child that is in a local hospital or purchase sweet smelling candles for the elderly in nursing homes and bless them with a hug and a gift. Perhaps there is a family in your church or neighborhood that has suffered through this economic downtime. Take Christmas to them!

The opportunities are endless. Our family is contacting our local foster care organization and adopting a child for the season. We plan to have a party and ask friends and family to bring a gift for our beneficiary, and then take all of the gifts to his foster home. Most importantly, involve your children in every aspect of this outreach. They will remember this act of giving more than the decorations, endless homemade cookies and candies, or the wrapped purchases under the tree!

Do your best to make memories with your children this Christmas season. Show them that Jesus is why we do all that we do. His greatest gift to us is LOVE. The greatest gift that you will ever give your children is also LOVE. Purpose in your heart to give them the best mother that you can possibly be. Live your life in a way to be their example. Love simply, love deeply. Then, on Christmas morning when they open their perfectly wrapped gift, you will know in your heart that you have truly given them the very best gift of all!