My Preparations For Christmas
This year as I begin the advent season it looks a little, ok A LOT different than it has in years past. While there are many activities to attend, fun places to go and see, opportunities to celebrate and worship, our living situation and reality makes it a very different year. We are having a great time and maximizing the moments and holding on to many traditions, but it feels so different sharing a home during the holidays! All of our decor, books, Christmas ornaments, Christmas pjs and clothes, advent supplies and even recipes, all the little morsels of the holiday are all packed away in a storage POD somewhere hibernating until next year. At the beginning of November I had a very good “heart to heart” with myself about my expectations of the season and determined to enjoy and celebrate it for what it IS, not what I want it to be, or what it has been. I purposed to boil the season down to what matters and do my best to celebrate and help everyone prepare their hearts for the coming King. We can celebrate without story books, familiar ornaments or all those things that warm our hearts. There have been a few things that have either been gifted to us or that I have gathered to help make the season festive and fun, I’ll share some ideas at the end. My Mother in Law does a beautiful job decorating her home and Colorado Springs has SO MANY community events to attend and I definitely was able to fill our calendar with fun things, so no pity parties over here, we are having lots of fun! I’m documenting all of our family fun on my instagram page, so feel free to follow me there to see more.
Mary’s Preparation For Christmas
Recently I was reading in Luke the account of Jesus foretold and the angel appeared to Mary and foretold the birth of Christ. Gabriel told this young, engaged girl a lot of really big news about the birth of Jesus. Like a lot of news, read it here! Mary’s initial response was,
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
This situation was completely out of her control. It was not her plan, it was embarrassing and shameful for her, it was a huge responsibility and unexpected news that honestly sounded crazy. Nevertheless, Mary said, “I am a servant of the Lord, let be to me according to your Word.” She had been living a a faithful life, already rooted in truth, and she had already made the decision to entrust herself to a faithful God. That prior decision made all the difference about how she received the news from the angel.
Later Mary went to visit Elizabeth and we see the magnificat, a beautiful response of worship and reflection on who God is, what He has done, what He will do and how she responds to that. Amidst a stressful, unknown, experience that isn’t what she planned, she shines a light on God and zooms out to recall all of His Goodness from generations past and redemption in the future. What a beautiful example and formula to follow in our lives, every single day. The reason Mary was able to respond to God in that way was because she had already stored up truth in her heart and mind to recall. She didn’t rush to cram in knowledge and scour whatever little bible she had to find a bandaid verse for her situation. Her heart poured out the knowledge she had stored up and it provided, comfort, perspective, hope and peace in that moment. What a gift.
Later in the story, in Luke 2 while the Shepherds were visiting the manger after they heard the proclamation of the Heavenly Hosts, all who heard their account wondered at what they said, but Mary treasured them in her heart. She knew the prophesy and she was able to see the fulfillment in her very arms. She seems so steadfast, expectant and steadfast in Her faith in God.
Modern Preparations For Christmas
Reading this passage as it turned up in my reading plan completely blessed my heart and pointed me to the Truth. It was a timely reminder that I can still worship and celebrate Christmas even if we aren’t in our normal or ideal circumstances. Even Mary, the mother of Jesus, considering the reality of her conception and pregnancy probably thought a couple of times that it wasn’t exactly how she pictured this going. Being pregnant out of wedlock, riding 100 miles on a donkey near the end of her pregnancy, delivering her baby in a stable, having unfamiliar people visit, It think it seemed like less than ideal circumstance, but looking at the story now we can see that it is exactly how it was supposed to be! It is a perfect fulfillment of the prophesy, and an incredible example of God’s providence and care for all of them, and all of us.
This Christmas and every year in the past is usually speckled with some small disappoint or a realization that something is less than ideal, I have been comforted a few times and realizing that even Mary, the mother of Jesus rejoiced, persevered, worshiped and obeyed albeit incredible, a situation that seemed less than ideal and so will I. Please enjoy this beautiful Sovereign Grace song at the end of this post that is loosely related to the Magnificat.
Making Preparations For Christmas
A few things we are enjoying this season that are simple and have been meaningful to encourage you that it doesn’t have to be expensive, over the top or even daily to be impactful
-We love the book Prepare Him Room by Marty Machowski, I bought a hardcopy of it years ago and a few years ago also got it on Kindle. I have appreciated having both, I find that we are often on the go and away from the house and I am always thankful to literally have it in my pocket. It is great for my older kids, this year I am only reading it with them in the evenings, but we are also doing the activities and talking through the topics with the little ones. I asked the big kids to really try to be intentional with their words and teach or recall the lessons to the younger ones as they think of it during the week. The book has great music to listen to and festive activities to do together. It is really a complete Advent book, it you only buy 1 trust me, buy this one!
-At the mom group at church they handed out a copy of the Jesse Tree and it was so timely! I bought a little tree from Walmart delivery (do you have that?! That’s a conversation for another day) cut out the ornaments and put string on them. The kids take turn reading and putting the ornaments on the tree, each time we start at the beginning and recount each step of the lineage of Christ. They enjoy a chocolate from their Trader Joe’s advent calendar each day.
-My parents so kindly send a couple of books to our family, one of which is a new book by Marty Machowski called Promises Made, Promises Kept and it is really neat! It is intended to be read the 7 days leading up to Christmas about 7 promises made about the coming Messiah, and then read the 7 days FOLLOWING Christmas about 7 promises kept by our Born Savior. I love the format, it would be great for anyone, but especially the mom that gets to the end of the Christmas season and feels like she missed the opportunity to point their children’s hearts to Christ. The 7 days following Christmas are generally quiet and at home, so redeeming that time is really a fantastic idea.
-We are enjoying other family time doing other fun things, I think having fun together as a family is really important and special thing to do. It builds strong relationships, shared experience to reminisce on and a confidence that you belong and are loved by your family.
-If you want a blast from the past enjoy this post from almost a decade ago that
