It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Our halls are decked, four parties and one play in the same week, Christmas cards are trickling in, and treats are showing up on our doorstep. I love these parts of Christmas!
Yes, it does
look like Christmas but the real question is, does it
feel like Christmas?
I regret to say that there have been years when the humble and quiet tenderness of the season has been in the background.
Some years on Christmas night, we collapse on the couch and reflect on the December that was. We look around at the remnants of wrapping paper, boxes, bags. Sometimes there is a pang of guilt for spending too much on the kids. Excess they really didn't need. Things that will become forgotten, lost, broken or outgrown over time.
Then our thoughts turn to a meek and submissive mother who gave birth to the Savior of the world in a barn.
A barn- surrounded by animals.
Her gentle husband, imagine the worry and heavy responsibility he must have felt. Mostly, we reflect on the Baby. The man He grew to be. The love and kindness He taught in His every word and action. The uncomprehendable price He paid for us.
As we pondered these things a couple of years ago, a sadness crept over us. We knew that in the busy-ness of the season, we had missed the true essence of Christmas. The Savior was a part of our Christmas, but not the focus of each day. We promised to never let that happen again.
We remembered the words of King Benjamin, "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God." (Mosiah 2;17)
We had a deep desire to be more fully, even daily, in the service of our God.
This inspired a new family tradition we call The 25 Days of Service.
The last Monday in November we hold a special Family Home Evening. We each come prepared with ideas of ways we can serve others.
After some brainstorming and voting, Mark constructs a calendar. We post it on the fridge and in the bedrooms. Some of the things we do are simple and don't cost anything like "Random acts of kindness Tuesdays" and "Love at Home Thursdays". Other ideas we have done this year include sending packages to the missionaries serving from the Spanish ward in our stake and delivering a Christmas Tree to a needy family. We volunteer at the food bank, the homeless shelter and make stockings for the animals at the Humane Society. We also do something special for our grandparents and church leaders.
We give simple gifts to each other so that we can use our funds to make a top secret delivery to a special family on Christmas Eve.
This tradition has changed they way we
feel about Christmas. In early November the twins started asking about our service. They have been so excited to check the calendar and carry out the daily task. Neither one of them have asked for anything for themselves yet.
An extra special feeling has settled over our house. It is the spirit of love and giving, it is the Spirit of Christ. We feel Him closer. We talk about Him more often. We try harder to be like Him. We are more conscious of our mistakes and shortcomings and are trying to do better.
This really is the most wonderful time of the year, when Christmas becomes a
feeling.
