If I haven't mentioned before...or you haven't gathered by now, we LOVE this time of year! Family and friends, holiday lights and festivals, carols and movies, presents and beautiful tress, bustling malls and horse drawn carriage rides...my heart is so joyful this time of year can't even list all the things that make me smile. It's just the overall cherry, festive spirit of this season. It is a time that we want to bathe with love and tradition so the girls can look back on it with fond memories to pass on to their children someday. But. We don't want to get so caught up in the 'stuff' of the season and forget WHY we celebrate.
This is the season of Advent. Advent means 'awaited arrival', so this season is truly the celebration of something {momentous} coming.
A Savior of the world.
Not Santa Claus...
Jesus!
At Christmas we rejoice over His arrival! It is a birthday party! A party for a King...where we get the gifts! And, even more, a celebration of what his birth means for mankind. That is why we celebrate! That is why my heart is overflowing! That is what we want the girls to understand!
We talk every year about how we are going to do this. Of course we want the girls to have fun and experience the magic of Santa and his Elves, but we also want them to find joy in serving others and giving to those who are truly in need. Some things we have already been doing. Some things they are not old enough for yet.
But, they definitely understand birthdays...and the countdown to the big day. So, I found this Advent Journey on another blog that I read and thought it was a great way to help them (and us) understand the season!
I sincerely hope that when the girls look back at all of our Christmases together they cherish all the activities we did and time we spent together as a family. More importantly, I pray they remember that there is someone who loves them even more than Dan and I (or Grandma and Grandpa) ever can...Jesus Christ. And we get to celebrate his birthday with Him.
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