We're deep into Advent as you are, which means the blog has to go on the back burner. Have a wonderful Christmas and I'll see you in January!
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Reading Bartholomew's Passage
It's been crazy-busy here, even more so than usual. Do you remember my dear friend Heather, who lost her husband nearly two years ago? God has brought a wonderful man into her life and they are getting married next month! We recorded music for her wedding yesterday, and I'm helping give her a small shower tonight. So privileged to be celebrating with Heather and Phil.
In lieu of a post today, I want to reprint a comment from the last post on celebrating Christmas. Naomi wrote:
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Kendra —
This has got to be one of the most refreshing and “releasing” and reminding things I have read on your site (and I have been around here for awhile, lurking of course!)
Thank you for posting it. I am certain I never would have stumbled upon such a thing. I was truly convicted. I thought of Jesus’ first miracle of the wedding at Cana and how it was revelry and delight for all and when he was asked to help provide more, he didn’t rail against all who were enjoying and indulging, he performed a miracle to make a party go better! Seriously? For his first miracle? More excellent libations for the celebration!? It really made me think.
My question comes when we don’t have much (any) extra money at any time of the year, much less Christmas, and it is hard to know how to make a “glorious tree” and all those presents and everything that she talks about when it seems out of possibility financially…
And here was my answer:
Naomi-
I love your observation about the wedding at Cana; it’s one I hadn’t thought of before.
Your question is excellent and one I know many can relate to. Here’s what I’m thinking: What would make this year a bigger celebration for your family? Could it be planning a special breakfast, with some treat you rarely have? For us it’s homemade cinnamon rolls, homemade corned beef hash courtesy of Dad, scrambled eggs, biscuits, and gravy. This is the only day of the year we indulge in a breakfast this way, particularly because Easter always falls on Sunday and we can’t produce such a feast before church.
In fact, you can go back before Christmas morning. Lighting candles every Sunday of advent, reading from Luke, a special dessert each Sunday night leading up to Christmas (and by special I don’t mean extravagant- cookies one night, ice cream another, etc…), paper snowflakes on the windows, Christmas music every day and a time to dance with joy, caroling to the neighbors, A Charlie Brown Christmas, driving around to see the lights…
Make the opening of the presents, even if there’s one per person, a delight. Do it lottery-style, or have each person share something encouraging about the one opening the present at the moment. Open them sloooowly, and ooh and aah.
Real Christmas trees are expensive, and when we had no money I brought a big branch inside (we lived in San Francisco so I really had to search to find one!), “planted” it in a pot with dirt and moss on top, then hung ornaments on the branches. It was cool! If you have silver or gold spray paint, you could spray the branches first.
Invite friends and family over and potluck. We have a barn party every year the day after Thanksgiving and we serve big trays of cookies but ask everyone to bring a chair and a mug. Then we offer coffee and cider, both of which I use coupons to buy in the months before the party. I buy all paper goods the year before on clearance.
We take a day off from school in December and watch Little Women. It’s just a tradition I started and now as my older boys aren’t so interested, I tell them it’s optional (but they tend to hang around…) I make popcorn and hot cocoa, and it’s a memory made.
I’m not super creative, and I’m sure others can offer even better ideas. I hope this is helpful, though.
~Kendra
♥
So, my creative readers, what other ideas can you offer Naomi?
Our kiddos draw names for Christmas giving. They love being able to focus all their available resources on one person, and I love listening to their ideas as they plan and plot each year.
Last year we required them to make a gift for their recipient, and it was really neat to see what each child came up with. The littlest ones had a bit of help :)
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Nine-year-old sister made a fancy mirror from a kit for seven-year-old sister
Five-year-old sister made a cookie mix with cute label for 13-year-old brother
One-year-old brother made a necklace with a photo of himself for nine-year-old sister (he had a little help ;) )
13-year-old brother made a t-shirt for 11-year-old brother's in-house backrub business
We don't have photos of the last two, but seven-year-old sister made a whole gallon-sized Ziploc bag of chocolate chip cookie dough balls for 15-year-old brother. She fetched them from the freezer for him on Christmas morning. 15-year-old brother made a cute little monkey shirt for one-year-old brother. We giggled every time he wore it.
This year the kids have to buy or make a t-shirt for their chosen sibling. So far the choices have been really fun, and I like that the gifts are practical and personally chosen with the recipient in mind. Budget accommodating, too!
Nate and Debra came to our home last month to share a back porch Saturday evening with our family. Debra told us and our friends about their sweet baby boy growing inside her, but destined for death soon after birth. Her joy, her faithfulness, her faith were evident that evening, all given by our gracious God.
Debra gave birth to Paul yesterday, and then he went home to heaven shortly after. Please pray for the Perkins family as they recover from delivery and come to terms with the death of their baby boy. May God be glorified!
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The board in our kitchen sports a new message every few weeks or so. Sometimes it's a verse we're working on, sometimes it's a reminder to be kind, other times it's a thought we wish to permeate our lives.
This summer we've been camped on one main motto:
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