Friday, December 26, 2014

Christmas from a four year old


Hard to believe it is already a new day. We ended our Christmas celebration last night with John 3:16, and this morning I was reflecting on this Christmas and just how grateful I was for everything. We weren't sure if we would even have any presents this year and then not long before Christmas our parents blessed us with money to buy things for the grand kids and while we still didn't have as many as the years before this it was the most cheerful and peaceful Christmas in our house. The kids were able to truly realize the real reason for Christmas and to understand as Christians we don't have to wait for Christmas. We get to celebrate and worship Jesus everyday. As we were in Kaufland just a couple days before Christmas our four year old misunderstood the concept of our secret pals, and thought he was shopping for himself.
 As he realized this, in disappointment he started to throw a fit in the middle of the store (1st time for everything). In the mean time while I am thinking to myself how I am going to handle this, a lady walks over and tells him In Romanian of course, that Santa will not come to him because he is crying in the store, and in her shock that did not work because even though he is only 4 he knows Santa does not exist. But the Lord gave me in that moment wisdom in how to handle the situation, and I picked Azi up and told him, "you know Santa does not exist so what that lady said is not true. You will still have a gift Christmas day because I know someone who came and gave us the greatest gift of all even when we did not DESERVE it".
 And with that he stopped his crying and looked up at me to listen to the rest of what I had to say, and we talked about how Jesus came to save us from our sin and that is the greatest gift, and then I explained to him with that love we are here to shop forhis secret pal as a surprise to be loving for others, ( part of our conversation) and the rest of our shopping was peaceful.

 My point for sharing this is that even we as Christians get a little too wrapped up in "a man" that doesn't exist or change anything, and it was not a thought of a gift from Santa that made this little boy want to stop being selfish but the true gift from God in Jesus that caused this 4 year old to change his way and desire cheerfully to show love to his brother and no longer care for himself. And this year besides just doing the Christmas story like in the past we focused on the undeserving gift God gave not just sending Jesus as a baby but also on The cross, the resurrection, and God's word to us. And it really was the best Christmas ever. We even ended up receiving Samaritan Purse boxes last minute and never ceases to amaze me that every year these gifts that are randomly given out are always perfect for our children, Levi's even had running stuff in it, go figure we serve an awesome and loving God