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!

The Sounds of Christmas

I heard it yesterday.  A distinct tinkling that I hear at some point during the Christmas season each year.  The sound of a piece of my white nativity clinking against something, usually the floor.  Riley quickly assured me that all was well, "Mama, the wise man fell against the donkey, but both of them are fine!"  Last year, I contemplated purchasing a new nativity set at a Hobby Lobby half price sale.  However, I decided my current one has too many memories, and has been through too much to be replaced.

Almost every piece has come in contact with the super glue at one time or another.  Our angel is resilient in her efforts to proclaim the birth of the Christmas baby.  Her wings have been broken off several times.  Riley once felt that she needed help with her guarding duties and added Spider man and Batman to the rest of the stable crew.  Due to incorrectly applied superglue she looks rather chilly.   Several years ago, I noticed one of the sheep was missing.  I went searching for my lost sheep.  It was found outside.  In the grill.    One wise man lost his head.  It is back on, but just a bit crooked.  The shepherd boy was also decapitated, and has been reattached by the powers of super glue.  Sadly, one wise man was shattered beyond repair.  His space is empty in the packing box.  Poor Mary only has one hand, and a camel has been MIA for many years now. 

One day, when my house is empty and quiet, I am going to make tiny t-shirts for whatever nativity pieces remain.  In all of my spare time, I will embroidery them with the words, "I survived the Presson boys."

December ONE!

December 1st!  The celebration has begun!  I broke out my Christmas sweater and wore it today.  I have had it since Riley was an infant.  He is now 11, so you can imagine what it looks like.  I am a firm believer in tradition!  I put my decorations up a bit early this year, and now I am happy, happy that I did.  I can just sit back and enjoy the reason for the season.  I thought I'd share our 2011 Advent Calendar.  We are all excited about it, even Avery, although he would never admit it!  Please note that this is not a photography blog, therefore the pics are far from professional!  I found this idea on Pinterest and mixed it will a little Presson. 

Each bag has a name on it.  If your name is on it, then you get to open it.  The first 3 bags have scriptures in them.  One for each of the boys.  They have to memorize their scripture and say it each time, before they can open the next bag with their name on it.  The scriptures are from the beautiful nativity story.  The rest of the bags are filled with goodies galore.  Slinkys, Legos, coupons for lunches alone with Dad, candy, coupons for staying up 30 minutes later than your brothers, an iTune cards or two, and a few dollar bills.  However, the last bag does not have any gift in it.  We are each going to write a letter to Jesus, telling Him what we are giving Him in the coming year.  I am hoping by the end of this month that we, like the Wise men of long ago, bring priceless gifts to the babe in the manger.  Merry Christmas!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year...Can you see the forest for the trees?

Thanksgiving is HERE, and Christmas is around the corner. There is something so special about this time of the year. I think it brings out the best in all of us! Our minds are going to the things that we are truly thankful for…God, family, and friends. It is a time when we communicate with those near and dear in gift giving, baking, and decorating. This time of the year is a time of inward reflection on our thoughts, actions and attitudes of the past year, and how we want to improve in the coming year.

There is a house in my city that I drive by often. I do not know the people that live there, but I do know that they, like me, love the holidays. Their yard is creatively decorated every single holiday on the calendar. Red hearts are strung in the trees on Valentines Day, a happy bunny pops out of an egg on Easter, and practically every square inch of the house and yard is decorated for Christmas. I am astonished by the time and expense that goes into their holiday creations.

However, the yard is also bursting at the seams with non-holiday “ornaments.” Several old cars are parked in the yard. Used tires lay everywhere, as well as unusable appliances, old mattresses, and even a broken down toilet. Bags and bags of trash are strewn about the yard. It is not a pretty sight. The puzzling thing to me is why they put so much expense into their holiday décor while leaving all of the junk in the yard. In my opinion, it certainly does not make the rubbish look pretty.

I wonder if the Lord sees something similar when he looks at our lives. Have we decorated our outward appearance with sanctimonious standards while our hearts are littered with anger, jealousy, and deceit? Do we plaster on a smile of joy when inside we are blackened with bitterness? I do not feel the Lord finds beauty in our sacrifices of worship and praise when we are hiding back biting and dissention.

Before the most wonderful time of the year approaches, before I take out all of my holiday decorating, before I begin purchasing the perfect gifts for my loved ones, I want to take some time to clear the clutter from my heart. When he looks at me, I want Him to see the beauty of my soul that he longs to spend time with, and not any of the debris that I might have accumulated in the past months. May I string the lights, hang the wreath, and bake the cookies with a pure heart, so that the brightest light of all might shine through me during this Thanksgiving and Christmas season.