Focusing on the JOY (Jesus, Others, Yule) of Christmas
Tomorrow is December 1; twelve school days until your children are out for Christmas break. Have you begun your Christmas checklist yet? Do you get a little pit in your stomach just thinking about it? If you have ever watched a hamster run on his little wheel, do you feel the same as December approaches? Let us step off the wheel together and acknowledge the baby in a manger as the Lord who reigns over our
to-do lists. God knows our needs before we even do, and He knows our hearts’ desires (Ps.37:4).
I love 1 Peter 5:7 which says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” Just as you want your little ones to come to you with their fears and worries so that you can ease their little hearts and minds; likewise, our heavenly Father wants us to do the same. The word “casting” is related to the Greek verb used in Luke 19:35, referring to Palm Sunday when the people of Jerusalem threw their garments onto a colt for Jesus to ride. It describes a deliberate action of setting something down and
leaving it there. And here is the key: do not pick it back up!
Let us give our cares and pre-Christmas “to-do lists” to Jesus and leave them with Him, trusting Him to show us how to prioritize, and just as important, trust Him to show us how to let go of comparing ourselves with others. Ask Him what to cross off the list; to show us how to spend our time and money, and to show us how to keep Immanuel (God with us) in the center of our days leading up to Christmas.
Set aside time with your children to make homemade cookies with sprinkles (and yes, the mess is so worth it!). Bless your neighbors with Christmas carols and cookies! Sing off key – who cares?!
Institute certain traditions - be intentional about what matters to you and your family. Growing up in Indiana, my dad owned a Christmas tree farm. My brother and I worked several weekends cutting down trees that the shoppers selected for their very own. If I recall correctly, the trees ranged in price from $2.50 - $7.50; even then, it was a bargain. My dad’s heart was always bigger than his wallet. He instructed us to wad up the cash and put it in our pockets. I remember him coming to check on us on
those cold, wintry days. We would sit in his truck, warm up, and then get back at it. Even now, remembering the joy of seeing families walk through the evergreens looking for their perfect tree helps me to reflect on the simplicity of Christmastime. What floods your heart with joyful memories?
I know one family who reads a Christmas picture book every night during December. Another decorates a miniature tree with “Adore”naments (twelve names for Jesus represented by tiny ornaments). Do you trim the tree together, listen to Christmas music as you drink hot chocolate and eat a snack? Warning: drinking hot chocolate at nighttime will be detrimental to sleep. We tried to give an ornament each year
to our children so that when they left home, they could take memories with them. Do you do an outreach project as a family? Do you bake Jesus a birthday cake? No matter what your traditions are,
keep them front and center and schedule them on the calendar today. Then, when something tempts you to displace family time, you can respond with a gracious “No,” which is a big “Yes” to your family!
The best gift you can give your family is a calm mama, a joyful home, and your focused presence as you direct your children’s hearts toward the baby in the manger.
What is yule? According to Webster’s 1828 Dictionary: The name anciently given to Christmas, or the feast of the nativity of our Savior. Let us keep the JOY in Christmas!
If you would like to reach out to Jeannie, you may email her at jbrostrand@redeemerdayschool.org.