As a blogger, I was given an assignment, a mission, if you will, to share with others. This mission, should you choose to accept, could change your attitude about Christmas, and possibly lives around this planet. Are you up to the challenge?
Does Christmas fill you with joy and anticipation, or with dread and resignation? Are you looking forward to it or looking forward to it being over? Do you enjoy, and limit, the hustle and bustle, or do you become overrun by it all? Time to check our attitudes!
Why do we do what we do for others at this time of year? Is it out of love or obligation? Do we really need all of the gifts, the stuff? Are we truly blessing others with things they could use and need? Or are we simply checking them off our list?
I am so excited for Christmas already! I love to love my family through gifts, finding just the right ones. We don’t lavish much upon them during the year. They have to buy their own games, music, movies, gasoline, insurance, cell phones (and for the two out on their own, rent, food, and electricity, etc.!). So when Christmas comes around, I am psyched to love on them in this way. But where does the source of that love come from?
The source of love in our family’s Christmas celebration is from God, through the gift of His Son, Jesus. “By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” ~ 1 John 4:9-11
That little baby who was born in a cave and slept in a manger, grew up to be a man who served His Father God with all His being, “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” ~ Philippians 2:8
All the world needs to hear this Good News ~ “Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere! Go tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born!”
“But these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” ~ John 20:31
I challenge you to think about Christmas differently this year. According to the web site http://forgottenchristmas.org/?motiv=WB10-BLFC&cm_mmc=Blogger-_-FC ( be sure to watch the video!) if everyone gave simply one percent of what they spend on Christmas to help others, incredible things could be accomplished! What if we were willing to sacrifice even more than that??
There are so many practical ways to do this. Give of your time and money to help a local homeless shelter, choose to buy a gift for someone on an Angel or Giving Tree, adopt a family that doesn’t have much and bless them with a special Christmas. Fill a shoebox for “Operation Christmas Child” through Samaritan’s Purse. Look through the catalog from Gospel for Asia and buy a chicken or a goat for a family. You could also buy a bicycle for a missionary, or Bibles or blankets. (I think I have the link to their online catalog on my blog page, bottom right.)
What about adding to your family and “adopting” a child? Gospel for Asia, Childcare Worldwide, Compassion International, and many others have precious children who are waiting for sponsors. Or you can adopt a missionary through Gospel for Asia. (Again, check the links on my page!)
In our home, we set out a “Jesus box”, a prettily wrapped shoe box that we sneak money into during the holiday season. Then, after the new year, we decide where to send this money.
We are far from perfect when it comes to our Christmas habits. I tend to go over budget, and there are some people that I buy for more from obligation than from love. I get caught up in the decorations and the stuff. I need to pray for wisdom and guidance, and perhaps a changed heart as well. I want to give with love, in honor of Jesus!
Desiring to Walk Humbly with My God 