Last night one of my dearest friends had a “cookie swap” at her house with some of the ladies from church. We were talking about how traditions don’t get passed down anymore, quilting is going out, sewing or making your own clothes is not as popular anymore, farming and gardening happen less and less, etc. There are several of us younger generations that would love to learn how to make quilts and I do hope that the older ladies at church will teach us…but this blog isn’t about that…

We also discussed how the youth of our church needed to be more involved in the on goings of church and the world around us. The children collect money that is used to make purchases for families in need, but the children do not do any of the shopping, the children do not take the purchases to the families; the adults do it. The children don’t help to feed the hungry or volunteer in soup kitchens, sit with the elderly, or learn to quilt, or garden or farm. Our farm lands are disappearing because our youth aren’t involved with old traditions.

God spoke to our visiting preacher, Paul, this morning. I had carried the conversation from last night over to mine and Shane’s conversation on the way to church this morning, and God heard that conversation and passed it on to Paul. Paul said that we as parents make sure that we get our children ready for the next game, the next practice or the next rodeo. We make sure they have all of the equipment they need to succeed, but how many of us can say that we are making sure that they are ready for their walk with God? How many of us parents are giving our children the right equipment, or are learning the right lessons to make sure they have a real, personal relationship with God?

I have a bunch of great ideas to pass along to our church and the youth groups there. I hope no one feels I’m stepping on any toes and I pray that God’s message can be shared through me to our youth. I pray that even as small of a church that we are that we as parents and role models can give our children the right tools to know God.

Santa Clause

Yes, there is a Santa Clause! I believed in him when I was a little girl, I even thought I saw him once. Then as I grew older I believed he was a created to teach children to believe in something that they could not see something that would teach them good-will to others and to give and not expect to receive. I thought he was a figment of someone’s imagination that had been passed down from one person to the next. It took becoming a mother to realize that indeed Santa Clause does exist.

Mr. and Mrs. Clause. They live not in the North Pole, but in our towns and communities. They walk around among us, work beside us, worship with us. They have hearts bigger then they themselves are. They love like no other and giving gives them more pleasure than anything else. I found a Santa Clause and the kindness that he bestowed upon my family reminded me what Christmas was all about.

I started forgetting my Christmas spirit about five years ago. I decorated the house and the yard, bought my Christmas presents, but the light wasn’t as bright that year. Then as the years have gone on the light in me slowly fizzled. I stopped decorating for Christmas all together. The first time we were living in Alabama and my Christmas stuff was all packed up, the next year I used the same excuse. But, that was Andrew’s first Christmas and I was upset because he wasn’t spending his first Christmas with my family. Shane’s parents can mess up the Holidays because of stupid stuff. It ended up being an ok Christmas, but my spirit wasn’t there. The next Christmas we were able to spend Christmas with my family, but Shane didn’t have a job and we were almost broke. We couldn’t spend the money we wanted to on Christmas, but with the help of my mom Santa still came. The light in Andrew’s face Christmas morning was priceless. I can still see the shock and smile on his face when he saw his Fire truck sitting in the living room. He didn’t even want to open the other presents, he just wanted to play in his truck. Every now and then he would get out seeing what I was unwrapping for him and then jump right back in the truck.

After I met Santa Clause last weekend, I forced myself to get into the Christmas spirit. It isn’t about me, it’s about the kids. It’s about wanting Andrew and Clay to grow up and remember how wonderful the holiday season is. The Christmas lights on houses, cookies, hot chocolate, picking out the perfect tree, and the smell of a fresh Christmas tree in the house. The light on their faces when they open their Christmas presents. For them I can find the Christmas spirit. I’ve decorated the inside of the house. Now we have to get a tree so that we can decorate it! We are spending Christmas in Texas this year, with Shane’s parents. So far they are in the Christmas spirit themselves; I can only pray it stays that way. I’m missing my family but I hope to see them soon.

If the Christmas spirit is fading in your life, remember it isn’t about you, it’s about those you love and who love you. If you give them the gift of the Christmas spirit it is sure to find its way back into your life.