I'm Struggling With Christmas This Year

It's Not The Grinch, It's The World

The world stole Christmas, not the Grinch.  I realized just how deeply this is true while I prepared for a prior Gathering Place on holidays vs Holy days.  Friends, we have been so misled and it disheartens me to realize it.

From Christmas trees to Santa Claus & Elf on the Shelf... from the timing of Christmas to exorbitant gift-giving... from commercialism to paganism - there are sadly so many off-putting roots to a day that is supposed to be dedicated to our Savior, and it seems no one even realizes it.  I surely didn't.

The ultimate question all of my research made me ask is:  How are we following scripture in any of this?  After all, isn't that what we're called to do?

​You can see how this year became a struggle in anticipation of lifelong traditions set against new found historical and Biblical knowledge.  Ugh... like a gut punch.  It's not easy to simply do a 180*...
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Change is hard enough when you're doing it alone... but when this involves your entire family (immediate and otherwise) let's say it takes this challenge to an entirely new level.  Here's the thing I've found in God's leading - He's not leading all of us at the same pace.  You may be ahead of your husband in his walk, and doing your best to teach your kids... or you may be struggling to keep up with your spouse's hair-on-fire disposition because God just hasn't taken you to that place yet.  Either way, it's hard.  Not impossible though - because we follow a God who can do all things (even ones we can't fathom on our own).

This Christmas (and I can only imagine for some more to come) I will be slowly cutting back the worldly ways.  I'm not coming at this in a loud overt way, nor from a place of judgement... but from a deep belief and through God's quiet leading.

• One small & simple tree where once every room was adorned (perhaps one day there will be none at all - gasp, I know).
• A new children's nativity set where pieces are added every few days in place of a judgmental & sneaky elf.
• No trips to see Santa (if I can help it), but instead conversation that goes deeper about the faith of Mary and the impact of Jesus's birth.
• Giving more presents that point to faith (like worship CD's - yep, we're old school) and less "stuff" for the sake of filling up empty space under the tree.

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Slowly as the truth unfolds, my family grows in their understanding, and most importantly as God opens their eyes to the world's ways - our Christmas will reflect more & more of the light, love and Word of God... and less of the darkness we've dressed up as a 'holiday'.

Side Note:  I will be offering a recording of that Gathering Place in the future - so if you're interested to learn all that I have to share, please send me an email and I'll put you on the list to notify when it's available.

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