Christmas Everyday?

So I didn't get the Christmas letters out this year and I'm bummed.....I'm bummed because it's one of my favorite things to do.....But I may still send them out any way. Sunshine told me to send out Happy New Year letters and ya know, I think I just might do that!

Christmas came early this year. It came all bitter sweet. It came in unexpected surprises. It came with joyous tears. 

And as I have been going about my Christmas duties and tasks I was often reminded by the smiles of strangers and check out clerks, friends and every day people that Christmas didn't  happen for just one day. Christmas came down for all of our days. And I want to know why we don't keep our Merry through out the year? I want to know why we don't do random acts of kindness and smile just a little bit more? I want to know why we walk around like we have lost our hope?

And some would say, "But Christmas is special."  "That one day a year gives you something to look forward to."   "It wouldn't be special any more if we had Christmas every day."

Can I challenge you, me? Can we try to be as giving and loving every day as we are at Christmas time? Because really......I don't think being joyous and smiling like we were just given a gift everyday would get old.....I think we would all be better off. I think this world needs a lot of Christmas everyday.

I wanted to do random acts of kindness this month.....I didn't get done all I wanted to accomplish, as a matter a fact I just recently did one act of kindness to a stranger the other day.....I paid for a woman's lunch that was behind me in the drive thru- at Chic fil a. I must tell you I thoroughly enjoyed it! Such a high to step out of that comfort box and be bold with kindness...That lady followed me all the way to the Target parking lot, pulled up beside me and said "Did you just pay for my lunch?" Yes Ma'am! I said.......She smiled wide and said "Wow! Thank you sooo much!!" She couldn't believe it. She didn't understand it. She asked me Why? I told her, just because and Merry Christmas!

I want to be Christmas everyday to someone who needs Christmas everyday. 

Love came down one night long ago so that you and I could have CHRISTmas in our hearts everyday. Shouldn't we at least be gracious enough to share that gift? Shouldn't we thank Him with joyous hearts and spread the love more than once a year? 

Merry Christmas!

Twelve Days Before Christmas Tradition

I just wanted to take a quick moment to share with you one of the things we are doing this month.....

Twelve days before Christmas!

I took twelve Christmas books, some we already had and some I bought to add to our collection and I wrapped them each up individually. 

I never knew this and just discovered this recently that there actually were little shepherd girls.....Who knew and didn't bother to tell me? I really just assumed they were all boys and men......total ignorance on my part I guess.

Every day, starting the twelfth day before Christmas they will get to open one book and we will read it together......I wanted to slow the season down a bit....{if that's really possible} and take the time to really lead them towards Christ. Sure we do Santa because it's fun and they get a big kick out of it and truth be told we do to.....But I want there hearts to know, see, taste, touch and feel the meaning of Christmas....

I want them to know with out a doubt little baby Jesus came to save the world!

Do I think traditions have a tendency to crowd out Jesus..... to numb the mind of the real reason for Christmas? Absolutely! But I also think traditions are important when used in the right context...Traditions hold families together....Cherished memories handed down from one generation to the next. But always remember the super glue is Christ. Traditions are just tape.....Ahhhh, they will hold you together for a little while, but when the storms come they tend to lose their stickiness. 

And yes we will bring out our little elf on the twelfth day as well.......Autum decided that she wanted to name her elf  Bell.......So we roll with it....Apparently Bo Jingles just didn't make the cut with her.