Christmas in August ... What???

I want to say now that some parts of this particular post may surprise you.  You may not agree with it, and that is okay.  It may have the potential to upset some, however that is not my aim.  Neither do I write to push any particular agenda.  I only write to share my thoughts on life in light of grace, mercy and love.  Now, that said ...

It's August.  Time for the back to school rituals of shopping for clothing and supplies, attending open houses and orientations, setting alarms to rise and shine early, lamenting the inevitable fact of following a school bus for what seems like endless miles ... so why is my mind on Christmas?  Allow me give you some background.

In the last year, my family has undergone a transformation in some of the ways we celebrate Christmas.  It all started when my husband, Landon, and I discussed the fact that Brody and Aubrey would be with their dad on Christmas morning.  As a result, "Santa" would have already made his magical appearance in that home.  Would he also show up in our home, even though the kids would not be there Christmas morning?

Thus it began.  Santa had always visited my home in the past.  Can you change something that's always been a "tradition"?  The question had much deeper implications for us as we prayed and searched for an answer.

While Christmas has many of its roots in pagan rituals that were "christianized" by the roman catholic church, we evangelical Christians nonetheless celebrate the day. We remember Christ's birth and purpose in being born as man, which was to die for our sins and impute His righteousness to us when we are born again.  So of course we teach our children that we celebrate Christmas to remember Jesus' birth. It's not all about the presents under the tree and it's definitely not all about Santa.   

Last Christmas, we focused even more on Jesus and why He was even born.  We did not promote Santa, did not encourage our kids to "be good because Santa is making his list", and Santa did not visit our home.

As expected Santa came to visit my kids at their dad's house.  And when the kids arrived home on Christmas day at our house, they had plenty of gifts, blessed far beyond the majority of the world's children.  But when asked who the gifts were from we truthfully told them that they were from Mommy and Papi (the kids' name for Landon).  They asked about Santa's gifts and we explained that Santa had already visited them, but more importantly that in our home, Jesus will be the focus, not Santa.  They accepted it and enjoyed their day with the family.

Then came the day this past spring, sometime near Easter, when Brody says to me, "Mommy, (so and so) said at school that Santa's not real."  (I'm thinking this young kindergarten conversation may have stemmed from a discussion of the easter bunny, which, in my mind, is an even crazier thing to expect children to believe.)  I asked Brody, "Well honey, what do you think about that?"  He began to talk his way through some rationalizations that Santa couldn't go to every home in one night, that he couldn't carry that many gifts in his sleigh, that he was too big to fit down a chimney, and he couldn't really be real ... then  he asked me, "Mommy, is he real?  Is Santa real?"

My moment was here.  Landon and I had worked tirelessly at Christmas time to make sure that the kids knew the reason we celebrate Christmas. We had lifted the name of Jesus to the best of our ability.  Now, the question I expected had come sooner than expected.  Would I tell them what most parents say, "Well you just have to believe!"  That seemed silly to me now ... we teach them belief in Jesus, who is real, by telling them to have faith in someone they cannot physically see and touch.  To ask them to likewise believe in Santa, who is not real, seemed absurd.

One day they will know the truth - Santa is not real.  Will they then ask, "What about Jesus? Is He real?"  Will I then say, "Oh yes, Jesus is real.  I know you can't see Him working in your life (just like you couldn't see Santa bring your gifts), but you must believe me, Jesus is real.  I know I told you to believe in Santa, and now you know I wasn't truthful about that one, but I'm serious about Jesus, He IS real."  Poof.  Just like that, my credibility with my children in matters of faith would have its chance to go up in flames.

So, I took a deep breath and asked my son, "Brody, do you want mommy to tell you the truth?"  Brody said "yes mommy, the truth."  I answered, "You are correct, son, there is no way Santa can be real.  He is not.  Jesus is, and that's all you need to trust in."  Exhale.  Job done.  Or so I thought.

Just this week I received a phone call from a parent.  My daughter, age 4 and a half now, out of the blue decides to tell another child, age 9, that her mommy told her Santa is not real.  This parent was upset with me for telling my children this.  I explained the same background that I just shared with you, and then I proceeded to share the gospel the best I could, that as Christians we say Christmas is about Jesus, who was born only to die for us, and that Satan just loves to use things like Santa to draw our focus away from our Lord and coming King.  Ironically, this individual was upset with me for speaking truth. This parent did not share my view of being truthful about Santa, and that is okay.  I did not set out to condemn or expect to change the way children are raised.  However, I was not willing to compromise my stance on Christ as most important.

I know that the majority of Christian parents will not agree with me.  They may say it's just a tradition ... it's the fun of Christmas ... it's the magic of the season ... it's what the kids look forward to ... you can celebrate Jesus' birth and still have Santa.

I am not the final authority on these matters.  I am only a redeemed sinner, saved by the grace of God through the perfect sacrifice of His perfect Son.  And because of that, I am called to be set apart.  In our household, we felt that allowing Santa to have any claim, however small, was asking God to share His glory with a myth.

You may join with others and call me crazy ... a Christian freak ... a woman obsessed with Jesus. But isn't that what I want to be?  I should be glad that I look different from the world.  It can be messy and doesn't make for being popular, but is that important?  I have a long way to go to look more like Christ, but I believe when I seem weird to others because of Him, I'm stepping in the right direction.

My final thought for you centers around this verse:   "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10)

This post may not have pleased you.  I humbly pray that in my own weak effort, strengthened by Christ, it pleases God, and I trust that He will use it for His glory.

Just Listen!

Why is it so hard?  I mean, really.  Is it truly all that difficult for children to listen to their mother?

I ask myself that question almost every day.  I can't tell you how many times I say to Brody or Aubrey, "Listen to me!"  The worst is when they are asked to or not to do something and they do the exact opposite of what I asked!  Some days it upsets me to no end.  Other times I have a little more patience and use what has happened as a teachable moment.  But no matter how I feel in the moment of their failure to listen, when I think about it later I am disappointed and saddened by how easy it is for them to ignore what I say.

All they have to do is just listen and we enjoy each other so much more!

Last Friday, however, proved to be a lesson-filled day about listening...for me, not my kids.

As we were preparing for our last day of Vacation Bible School, God spoke to my heart and told me to do something ... told me to take something with me to church.  I pondered.  I thought.  I rationalized.  I came up with an excuse.

Then He spoke again, saying the same thing.  I considered listening a little more this time.  But I still did not do what He told me to do.

I walked out the door, intending to go on with my day and not obey.  I knew what God had said.  I had no trouble recognizing His voice.  But I thought my ideas and ways were better, and I made the choice to not listen to Him.

As I got in the car I realized I had forgotten something, so I walked back inside for that item.  The thing God wanted me to take to VBS was still sitting there on the counter as I stepped into the kitchen.  I looked at it, heard God's nudging again, this time a little more insistent.

Can you believe I started to exit once again without taking with me what God wanted me to???  But then, God spoke to my heart again, forcefully, and I said out loud the words I heard, "JUST LISTEN!"  I grabbed the item from the bar, closed the door behind me and got in the car.

Why won't my children just listen to me?

Does God ask Himself that question?  Maybe so.  As the omniscient God of all creation I have a pretty strong feeling He already knows the answer.

You see, when someone speaks,"listening" usually involves more than just hearing and recognizing the source of the sound.  The one who is to listen typically has a response to make.  Perhaps they need to do something, or not do something.  Maybe they are to say something in response, a "yes ma'am/yes sir" type answer.  I believe the same principle is at work when God speaks - He wants us to listen and respond to what He has said.

He wants us to obey.

The Bible is full of God telling His beloved ones to listen.  Jesus often began His teachings with the word "Listen!"  Why is that?  God knows that even while we have His spirit dwelling inside, we still have a sinful nature that wars with our hearts and minds on a daily basis.  We must submit every minute to Him.  I believe that is why Paul tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind (see Romans 12). It does not come natural for us to listen and obey.  What is natural is disobedience.  Not listening.  Doing our own thing.  Thinking we know better.  Ignoring God.

But oh the joy, the peace, the comfort, the blessings we find when we just listen ... when we choose to submit to our Lord in the little things, the big things, and everything in between!  "Now therefore, listen to me, my children. For blessed are those who keep my ways."  (Proverbs 8:32)

I am glad I listened.  I am sorry it took God speaking to me several times before I listened. I was already bothered by my intent to disobey, yet had God not given me that last "just listen" command I may have continued in my own way.  I would have saddened and disappointed Him.  Thankfully, my heavenly Father is patient with me.

The rest of that day proved to be a day of listening.  God spoke to me twice more that same day and asked me to do some things I had never done before that made me a little nervous.  But I am happy to say it was easier to listen and joyfully obey each time He spoke.

I know He was teaching this mother, who just wants her children to listen, a lesson of her own in obedience.  Just as it seems easy for the kids to not listen to me, I saw how simple it is for me, an adult, to ignore my heavenly Father.

Has God spoken to you lately?  Asked you to do something for Him?  Asked you to refrain from something for the sake of holiness?  And how well do you listen when you hear and recognize His voice?  Remember ... He wants us to "just listen" to Him.