Christmas Cheer

 

I think I have already had my apex moment of the season, before it has officially begun.

We wanted to start Thanksgiving week with gratitude for what we have been given, and created a family gratitude tree from the branches of a potted tree that died during the first cold snap. We've added paper leaves for the things that we are thankful for, and my children mentioned God, "Jeasus" (that must be the way His name sounds to a child growing up in the South), and family.

We gathered everyone together to discuss how we could give and serve this season before any wish lists for ourselves were drawn up. I wanted to hold off until the turkey had been served before racing down that wrapping paper strewn road. Kids spent the day practicing "Silent Night" in high octaves on the piano. Daughters made minty fudge and cookies for the neighbors and teachers. A son drew me a picture in oil pastel and happily strummed on his guitar. Kids played with neighbors in the yard. Gifts given, shared, not just the ones bought.

After dinner together (!) the kids flipped through catalogues of needs and voted to give gifts of education to orphans, help for those devastated by the typhoon in the Phillipines, and funds toward the rescue of young girls sold as slaves around the world. I was proud of them for caring for others. Deeply satisfied that that were catching, incrementally, what living beyond yourself (and not just living beyond your means) looks like.

We made plans to ring the bell for the Salvation Army, gather and sort can goods for Harvest Hope, perform in our church's Singing Christmas Tree, take care of kids in the nursery, mail shoeboxes, search for a mission trip we could go on as a family this year, and send the youth to build a house with World Changers.

All of this was fine and well when there seemed to be little personal sacrifice involved. Then my husband decided to ask what they thought about spending the money we would have spent on ourselves on those in genuine need. One boy melted my heart with a quick, yes. "I don't really need anything this year." The other four, to their credit, were honest. "Can I have some time to think about this?" "I don't really know." "Do you want an honest answer, or to hear what I am supposed to say?"

We prayed that God would teach us how to give of ourselves and to others. To grow us from where we are.

Then, with my heart bursting in maternal affection, I allowed each child to draw the name of another sibling out of a silky red hat to be their secret Santa for December. The idea was to buy a gift for one brother or sister (instead of four), but also to pray for them and find secret ways to serve them. They did great until the secret part. That was just too much for them to handle. One kid kept letting things slip until names were drawn and redrawn and I relinquished the name drawing to one of the older kids. Perhaps one day we will get to the point of loving and serving in secrecy, but today we are still elves in training.

Latvian wool socks from our adoption journey last year

 

"To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant.

To enact gratitude is generous and noble, but

To live gratitude is to touch Heaven."

- Johannes A. Gaertner