Laced With Grace

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matt. 6:19-20

 
Stuff. We all have it. Make no mistake about it, our houses, cars, rooms, cupboards and even purses are filled with it. Things you once loved or didn’t, now stuffed in a closet, behind a chair, under a bed or overhead in the attic. If you were to make a list of all the stuff you have in boxes, stacked in the garage, or tossed beneath a cabinet, you couldn’t. Forgotten stuff, used only for a time, not to be remembered again.

Stuff holds us in bondage. It keeps us from moving forward, from focusing on the present. And, at times, it overwhelms us. Yet, each Christmas I want more of it. I check the Sunday ads searching for it. Not only do I want more stuff, I want to give stuff to my husband and children too.

My teenage daughter Meghan, recently told me a story her college professor shared with her class. It helped me see “stuff” in a much different way.

As the students filed into the college class for their final exam, they were greeted by their teacher. He was standing beside a table of archaic looking items. As each curious student came forward, their professor explained the odd -looking objects, and then proceeded to try and sell them to his students.
“This here is an 8-track player. I’ll sell it to you for $100.00.”
“Are you kidding? Those are obsolete. No one uses 8-track players anymore.” The student smirked.
“Well, how about this transistor radio? I’ll give you a deal…$40.00.”
Another student peered over the table and laughed at his teacher. “That transistor radio is a dinosaur. And it only gets AM!”
“Ok, then how about this TV?” The professor waved his arm towards the gargantuan television, towering over the table.“I’ll give you a bargain…$500.00.”
A chorus of students roared with laughter. “Is this a joke? I bet that TV weighs 500lbs!” The students crouched down to get a better look. “Are those dials for changing the channels? Cmon’ professor!” Their laughter had them doubled over by now.
As they chuckled and giggled, their teacher calmly shared, “Men and women… some of them your own mothers and fathers, worked long hours to bring this “stuff” home to their family. Time taken away from their loved ones was used instead to bring a couple smiles, and a few light moments to those they cared about. Not much has changed today. People are working harder and longer to give those they love “stuff”. When what matters, what really counts, is time. And in time, even your newest and neatest toy this Christmas will become archaic, odd and obsolete.”
The teacher looked around his classroom. The laughter had stopped.

This Christmas, take a moment and ask the Lord to help you discover something your husband and children can’t tuck away to be forgotten in a box or on a shelf. Take a walk together. Make cookies together. Share a cup of cocoa together. Cuddle on the couch together. Play a game together. Love on one another and laugh together. Memories should be the “stuff” we tuck away in our hearts this holiday season.

Heavenly Father, forgive me for putting my eyes on “stuff”, open my eyes to your eternal gifts. Thank you for your precious son and the earthly blessings you have given me in my family. Help me to make time this Christmas season to build memories that will bring us laughter, comfort, and joy throughout our lives. I love you so much Jesus. Please continue to be the only “stuff” I focus on this week.

Merry CHRISTmas Laced with Grace-friends! Come by and say hello at my blog Blessed… www.onesoblessed.com

The Gift

The baby born that cloudless night slept in a bed of hay;

The One for whom a thousand years is but a single day.

The One who hung the stars in space and formed us from the dust;

The Lord of all creation had come to dwell with us.

His mother watched each tiny breath with eyes of wondrous love;

Another watched with yearning heart from heaven up above.

His mother dreamed of royal robes and kingly crown one day;

The Other knew that pain and suffering marked the baby’s way.

It was a deep, miraculous love that filled that tiny place.

Trusting hearts, a baby’s gift and a Father’s perfect grace.

He looked through time and saw each soul His precious Son would save;

With open hands and longing heart the precious gift He gave.

“For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16 (NLT)

Christmas Blessings,

Linda

I didn’t grow up with many traditions. Certainly none based in the birth of Christ. But I loved the ones I shared with my mother. So when my daughters were born, and I’d found my way back to my faith, I started creating our own traditions with a little help from those childhood memories. Here are a few of our favorites.

Every year my daughters and I light our advent wreath. It’s a tradition I fell in love with at our church when we lived in Memphis, and it’s now a part of what we do every Christmas.

Traditionally, the Advent wreath has five candles. Four purple or blue candles (sometimes the third or fourth candle is pink) and one white center candle. It’s always a challenge to find the perfect center candle for the Christ candle. Our Lord and Savior deserves only the best.

Advent means “coming” or “arrival.” So appropriate. And I just love the way each candle counts down the time to our Saviour’s birthday. I’ve heard and read several interpretations of the wreath. Here are few of my favorite aspects:

* The green of the wreath represents the eternal life we have in Christ.
* The circular form of the wreath represents the unending love of God.
* The purple of the outer candles represents the royalty of royalty.
* The white of the center candle represents Christ’s purity. (This candle is optional, by the way, but is my favorite.)
* The flames represent the light of God coming into the world through his Son.

I love the symbolism of this wreath. The four Sundays before Christmas each represent hope, joy, love and peace, in that order and each represented by a candle. For us as a family, it’s a time to stand around our wreath and light the candles each week and review how these four elements can only come into our lives through Christ, who is our true light. Then the tradition culminates with the lighting of the Christ candle on Christmas day. I love the symbolic representation of the lit candles to the light of Christ.

Both my girls were born in December, so it’s a very special (and extremely busy) month. This tradition and an Advent Christmas tree quilt I created have helped my girls and I count down the days each December, and put a special spotlight on their birthdays as they share the same birth month as their Savior. This connection has been especially sweet.

They each have a pocket with their name on it (Jesus too!) and each pocket has an ornament to hang on the tree and a treat. My inspiration for this was a calendar my mother had one year when I was very young. Each day had a Hershey’s chocolate kiss so naturally, we use kisses as well. My girls take turns each year as to who gets to hang the Baby Jesus ornament on the top final bell.

Another tradition I did when my girls were young was the Jesus cake. We even held a birthday party one year and sent out invitations. Typically, the Jesus cake has three layers. Chocolate to represent our sins, the red layer represents the blood of Christ, and the green layer represents our growth in Christ. The white icing symbolizes the purity of Christ and our forgiveness, which makes us “white as snow.”

When I made this cake I used marzipan (died yellow to symbolize heaven) and used cookie cutters to make twelve hearts to circle the edge of the cake and a yellow Star of David for the center. Candles placed in the center of each reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world. Here are a couple links that have recipes and more detail.

http://www.squidoo.com/birthday-party-for-Jesus

http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/cmascake.html

And one final tradition that is where it all started for me. The nativity scene. My mother and I bought this set at Sears when I was 18. Every year I bring it out. It’s the oldest of our traditions. When we lived in Europe, one tradition there was to hide the Baby Jesus for the children to find Christmas morning. How special and symbolic of the historical account of those seeking Jesus and of our spiritual search for Christ.

What are your Christmas traditions? What have you found to mean the most to your family? I pray this Christmas brings each of you fresh joy and restoration based in the most precious gift of Salvation given us by our Lord Jesus. Merry Christmas!

*Birthday cake picture courtesy of Squidoo.com