What one word would describe your usual Christmas season?
Busy?
Hectic?
Fun?
Stressful?
Sad?
Debt-accruing? 😉
I love Christmas. And, to be fair, we don’t usually have an over-full schedule, so I don’t feel super busy or hectic. I don’t stress a lot about things being perfect, and we don’t overspend. So, on the whole I don’t feel like there’s anything wrong with our holiday season, but I also feel like there’s potential for better.
That is, I think we effectively keep out a lot of stress and distraction, but I don’t feel like we are taking full advantage of the opportunity to point our eyes toward Christ. Plus, I see how my kids gravitate so strongly toward tradition. They LOVE traditions. And tradition provides such a powerful way to shape our children’s hearts and lives. We don’t usually remember what we do once. We remember what we do again and again.
I’ve forgotten almost all the Christmas gifts I ever received, but I remember the traditions. That’s what sticks with me most.
I want the same for my kids. And while we have a few simple traditions (accidentally), it hasn’t been with much intentionality. I’ve always given the gift of Whatever, which is a great start, but I think there’s something even better than Whatever.
Before Thanksgiving, I was praying about the upcoming Advent season, about how to focus our efforts, align our hearts, what to do and not to do. And the one word that surfaced in my heart and mind, time and time again, the word I wanted to describe this Christmas season, for myself and my family, was this:
WORSHIPFUL.
I want a worshipful Christmas. I want to be like the wise men, who searched out Jesus, bringing their gifts to him, and when they found him, “the fell down and worshiped him.”
That’s how I want to respond to Christ’s birth.
So, worshipful has become the new filter for sifting through all the scores of possible Christmas-time activities. The question becomes, “Can I do this as an expression of heartfelt praise, thanks, and honor of Jesus Christ? Does it draw our hearts closer to His?” And no, this doesn’t mean we can’t have gingerbread cookies and spiced cider! For “whether we eat or drink or whatever we do we can do it all for the glory of God.”
Pursuing a worshipful Christmas means I put to death my toxic tendency to worry about pleasing people. I will pray specifically about any simple gifts I can give to loved ones, without obsessing. I will ask the Father how He wants me to spend His money to honor His Son. I’ll ask Him for ideas, and spend more time in His Word than on Pinterest.
I’ll remember that God chose a filthy stable as the perfect place for His Son to be born, so pursuing the perfect Christmas-decor need not consume my thoughts.
I’ll remember that trying to control is never worshipful, so I will not attempt to manufacture magical experiences.
The miracle has already happened. We’ll witness more miracles when we stop controlling and start honoring our miracle-working God who came to earth as a baby in order to save us.
Of course the big question is: HOW? Well, most importantly I’d encourage you to seek the Lord on your own and ask Him for ideas, but I also would love to share with you some simple ways that I recently learned from a dear friend, Anna Hunter. She put together a presentation called Celebrate the Truth: Inspiration for a Christ-Centered Christmas. It’s fabulous!
She’s generously shared her materials with me so I can share here in abbreviated form. All that to say: More to come! For now, 2 things:
- Spend today praying God will show you how He wants you to honor Him in intentional ways this Christmas? Ask Him for specifics! Ask Him what needs to go, to stay, to change.
- Look around for 5 candles. You can use a traditional Advent-wreath, something more like this (this is like mine) or even five tea-lights from the dollar store. Go as simple or elaborate as you wish.
Okay, my kids need breakfast! More later. Happy Advent! Thanks for reading.