Josh and I made a commitment years ago when we moved away from all family that we would always do “our” Christmas at our own home before traveling to Georgia.  We have always kept that commitment, which means every year we celebrate “our” Christmas on a different date.  This year we did Christmas a week early.  The kids never know and they have just as much fun as they would if we celebrated on December 25^th.  I pray that Christmas is centered in our home all year!

We do not have to go by the calendar to celebrate and worship on Christmas.  We can take time out of our busy lives any time to enjoy the blessings God has given to us by sending His Son!

Our choir was practicing our Christmas music one Sunday afternoon and I couldn’t help wonder how it would be if we did a drama to go along with the beautiful music.  No speaking parts, just dramatizing the words from the songs and narration.  I grabbed a notepad and pen and started writing down the story from each song.  I had Jimmy Walker build our stable and manger, I started asking people about playing parts, and it all came together.  Several people came to me asking to help and with a little delegation it all came together.

My friend Michelle made a few phone calls and we had a live donkey!  I had really wanted the live donkey from the day I wrote the drama, so it really made my heart really happy to see that stubborn thing walking down that aisle.  We had another blessing by Leann’s nephew playing baby Jesus.  Rarely do you have a baby good enough to sit and enjoy the show while in front of a couple hundred people, held by a teenager, and a spotlight on him for about and hour. He did so good!  He only got fussy one time and it happened to be right when the song was about baby Jesus crying.

I really wanted to picture in my heart what that first night might have been like.  I pray that everyone there was able to worship as they saw a picture before them.  It was a beautiful picture of Jesus on the cross behind Mary as she held the baby.  We often forget what that baby was born to accomplish.  My favorite song of the drama was when Leeann sang this song as Mary walked around holding baby Jesus.  I pray as you read these words that this true meaning of Christmas will be on the forefront of your mind as well throughout this week:

“All His glory remains and His cry is the same

Come to me, Shepherd, King, great and small.

For the Word, once in stone,

Has become flesh and bone

And our God has the face of us all.”

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Before my husband and I were married we used to discuss how we would do Christmas with our future children. Even up until after our daughter was having her second Christmas we still did not have a set game plan. It is hard for the Christian parents to keep Jesus’ Birth on our children’s minds during Christmas with all the other things that people have made Christmas out to be. It is even hard as adults to keep Jesus the center of Christmas with all the shopping, cooking, traveling, and driving from party to party. We were not opposed to doing the “Santa Claus” game with our children since that was our tradition growing up, but we really did seek an alternative to include Santa but to make the center of gift exchanging all about Jesus.

Last year a friend of mine, Kerri, told me about a tradition that she has done with her daughter every Christmas and I love it! This year on Christmas Eve they will bake a cake together for Jesus’ birthday. They will decorate it together and get it all ready for the party. After her daughter goes to bed Kerri and her husband will decorate the living room for a BIG birthday party. When her daughter wakes up on Christmas morning, she will walk into the party. Kids love birthday parties, especially when they are the ones that get to open presents! Kerri said her daughter especially loves getting to eat cake for breakfast. This way it does put all the focus on the reason for the party and the reason for celebrating Christmas.

My husband and I have decided to implement this into our family Christmas this year. On Christmas Eve we will read the story of Jesus’ birth to our daughter as we do every year, then we will bake and decorate a cake in honor of His birthday. Many children bake cookies for Santa, but a birthday cake for Jesus is fun too! We will be having a birthday party for Jesus this year!