Christmas morning was a blast. Well for the most part. There was a slight part where I was slightly saddened by my 5 year old's reaction to "I want to open more presents. Aren't there any more for me?" The morning had a slight cloud at that point. There had been many presents, clothes, toys, books, you name it. Don't get me wrong we don't ever go over the top with spending oodles of dollars on our kids but still, we spend a pretty penny.
A few days prior to this whole Christmas thing happening I was thinking how proud I was of him that he randomly had mentioned he wanted to go through all of his toys and give some away to kids who don't have any. I was thinking he was the sweetest boy ever and I must have been doing something right. However, we did not pick out any toys at that moment to give away.
But as Christmas morning progressed and we went on with life after trying to explain to him that Christmas wasn't about Santa Clause and presents and trying to remind him that it was really about Jesus' birthday he proceeded to mention a few more times how he wished he had more presents to open.
Finally as he was sitting there complaining that he did not have enough I was becoming discouraged. I wasn't upset because I couldn't give him more, on the contrary we could have if we wanted too. The point was that I really don't want my kids thinking that they need to be so selfish as to think they deserve all these presents and gifts.
I love my kids. I love spoiling them. But there is so much more to life than things. So I sat down and I was the cruel mom that put him on my lap and I explained things in a perspective that he could understand. I decided to not mention Jesus at all, instead I wanted to just try and explain love (as Jesus is so as not to always be feeding him the right answer)
I informed him that there were many children in the world who would be happy just to receive a cheese burger for Christmas, or a loaf of bread. I explained to him that there were several children out there that didn't have blankets to sleep with, warm food to eat or a nice roof over there head.
Then I explained there are children out there that have none of those things and they also would give anything to have a family with them for Christmas. He got all big eyed on that one and explained he understood, "but I really wanted more lego's for Christmas." he added.
So to make matters a little clearer I stopped his play time all together, pulled out a pair of pants, a shirt and a little present of his sisters. And I said "you see that?" He looked. "that there is sometimes all mommy got for Christmas when Grandma and Grandpa couldn't afford anything else."
He sat for a moment kind of quiet like he was thinking. I could tell it was sinking in. Then his sweet eyes with tears in them said, "you mean when you were my size you only got two presents?"
I informed him that I was lucky when my mom made me an outfit to wear and I got a little gift under the tree just for me. I loved it! To me Christmas was about the fun stuff spending time with my family, eating fattening foods we normally didn't eat, watching movies and eating popcorn, and just hanging out with family and sometimes people from our church.
And then to really make it sink in, I pulled away the presents. Picked up and empty bag and handed it to him. "how would you like that for Christmas?"
He was silent. "it's empty! That isn't very nice."
"But, would Christmas still come without any presents? Would you still have fun hanging out with mom and dad and your brother and sister?" He nodded yes.
Of course it finally sank in. Though I want him to understand Jesus' Birthday is the reason to celebrate I also wanted my child to not sound like so many other kids out there. I want my child to learn to be thankful always at every season. Not looking for more but being grateful for what he has.
I asked him if maybe next year we should take some of the money we spend on nice things for ourselves and give it to someone who needs food, and clothes and things that help us live. (we did that this year too but he didn't really know about it) His response, "Jesus would be really happy if we did that." It's true He would be, but shouldn't we be doing that instead of pretending Santa Clause exists on Christ's Birthday?
And then as the day progressed I had time to really think. This whole celebrating Christmas thing, it was really turning into nothing more than a joke to the rest of the world when we proclaim that we are celebrating Christ birth. We want to sound so Christian by keeping "Christ in CHRISTmas" But yet, when our kids wake up and run to the presents under the tree how many of us remember Christ as we watch them rip open their gifts in eagerness just throwing them aside one by one to get to the next gift?
I certainly didn't see Jesus anywhere in my living-room as I watched my kids open gifts. I saw eager, joy filled faces, but it wasn't because Jesus was born it was for the simple fact that they were being spoiled rotten with gifts. Showered with love from those who love them.
Now, I am not saying there is anything wrong with enjoying this moment of seeing joy on your kids faces and spoiling them. I am ok with that. What I am saying is that is not what celebrating Christ birth should really look like.
If we were really wanting to see Christ on Christmas morning we'd be working so hard to bring Him a gift. Part of me thinks that next year, though I enjoy giving my kids and family presents I am planning to celebrate His birthday way different. What if I made my kids buy others things like food, and shelter, and blankets?
What if for the whole next year every time I wanted to buy a throw blanket or a decoration for my house or something else that makes it 'homey' I put the money aside and buy a real blanket for someone who sleeps without one out in the cold?
There are so many people out there that need the love of Christ. As Christians we are great at saying how much we love Jesus. But the point is that is all we say. Our actions to reaching out to serve our community is lacking.
Sure we may give our tithe to the church. Shouldn't they be taking care of the poor? But lets be honest, most of the church money goes to pay the people who run the church, and to keep the lights on and the building heated and the mortgage paid for. When it comes to your tithe how much of it really goes to missions and to the community to feed the poor, needy, hungry, and parentless?
It's not the building where you congregates job to show the love of Jesus to the world. It's our job to get up off our butts, to stop being selfish and shopping for things we don't need. We should be handing out our free time and even our money to those who actually need it. Give a helping hand to those who are struggling.
Appleton Wisconsin has homeless everywhere. In my church alone there are over 1,000 attenders on a regular basis. If all 1,000 of those people gave up for one year buying Starbucks, stopping at fast food joints, buying items for their house to decorate it or make it feel more homey, taking expensive vacations, buying stuff that lets admit we don't actually NEED and gave all that money we would typically spend in a year on that stuff to someone who needed to clothe their kids, feed their kids, put a roof over their heads Appleton would NOT have a homeless problem.
And that is just one congregated church. Imagine if all the people who were Christ followers all over the world did that? Could you imagine?!?! The orphans would have homes, the widows would be cared for. Everyone would eat and no one would go to bed hungry or freeze to death.
Time for Christians in this world to stop claiming the name Christian unless you actually plan to start acting like what that term means. It means "little Christ's," Or "Imitator of Christ." In Bible times when people were referred to as Christians it was meant as an insult. The people who followed Christ did not find it to be an insult they were flattered. But those who looked on who lived a normal life, with some decent morals and thought they were religious, threw that term at them to insult them and make fun of them. It was not something people claimed to hang onto just to make themselves sound good.
So this year, as I press forward with rearing my kids and working on building my relationship with Christ I plan to change my ways. There are tons of things I want. Trust me. But there are only a few things I actually need to survive. I have family, I have a warm roof over my head, I have food for my family. Those, are necessities, everything else is a want, or a desire. You could live without everything else you just have to choose to be willing to sacrifice your wants so someone else can have a need fulfilled.
I am not by any means saying take the joy and fun out of Christmas. But so many of us think that if we didn't spoil the kids rotten on Christmas day and give them oodles of presents and make sure Santa stopped by with a bucket load of toys for our kids that there wouldn't be joy or magic on Christmas.
Let me tell you something. I find more joy giving to people who need a helping hand than I do in almost anything else. Why can't we think our young children wouldn't be the same in experiencing that joy too? I highly doubt that having my kids help others in need would ruin their Christmas celebration, I believe it would make it a funner, more meaningful Christmas than any others.Why not change the way we as Christians celebrate Christmas?
Why not take our kids somewhere and have them give gifts to others who otherwise wouldn't see one happy face on Christmas? Why not let your kids see those in need and give them a helping hand that day? That my dear friends is going to bring them such joy, and memories like you would not believe! It may even change the face of the world if we could just teach our kids to be someone other than the typical selfish child growing up in the world that tells them that it's all about them.
I only hope that next year, I can truly bring the life of Christ birth to my children's world. And though I will definitely give them a day of gifts of their own, I know for sure i am going to give them a "CHRISTmas Day!"
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