The Gifts of Christmas

The week of Christmas, Evelyn confessed, "Mommy, I don't think I love God."

"What makes you think that?"

"Because I love toys more."

"We all struggle with loving things more than loving God," I said,my own list emerging easily in my head. Praying a silent, Nehemiah-style prayer, I said, "As we grow, we have to practice loving God, and as we get to know Him, we love Him more."

Thus began my thoughts on Intro to Idolatry. Good thing my student is six. Not that I'm unfamiliar with idolatry.

In the midst of these thoughts came Christmas, when we choose to give material things to our kids and one another. And it is SO delightful to see them open those presents and express their glee.

On Christmas Eve we attended Mom and Dad's church service, where the music was, as always, lovely, and the message clear. The girls loved sitting with Anna, lighting the candles one to the next as we tried to act like it was no big deal for our 4, 6, and 7 year olds to be holding lit flames. As Courtney said so well, "They did GREAT!"

Christmas morning had us exploring stockings, eating Daddy's traditional waffles, and opening some gifts. Amelia was thrilled with her Nutcracker, which she'd asked for and which Evelyn and I had gone to three stores on the 23rd in search of. (I'm teaching my kids so many good habits, aren't I?)

We all then met at Mom and Dad's for lunch and the rest of the day. Of course, the kids couldn't wait to open presents.

It feels good to give gifts. Evelyn had asked for "a beautiful dress, like a wedding dress, with a rose on it," and my mom came through 100%, complete w/thrift store veil and bouquet. She was dumbstruck upon opening it, then did a chair dance caught in one of the photos here. All the kids requested Twinkle Toes tennis shoes, and even the grownups made lists & drew names, which nicely simplified the gift buying (and I admit--it was SO FUN to open the books I'd asked for, along with a nice clothing gift certificate.) It is warming to watch those you love open things you've chosen for them.

We all watched "Up" together (which is one of the most endearing children's movies I've ever seen. Have yet to watch it w/out shedding a tear), and ate a dinner of homemade calzones thanks to Jon and Courtney. Then we just sat around enjoying one another, playing w/the kids' toys, and being together. So nice.

But back to gifts. Thinking about the kids' reactions to their gifts made me wonder: Ho do I respond to the Lord's gifts to me? Do I dance with glee thinking of my everlasting life, of the presence of the Comforter in my heart, or of the thrill of actually knowing my Creator? Am I wide-mouthed in amazement opening each day with it's new mercies? Do I revel in the wonder of having God's words at my fingertips? Do I realize that one of His deepest desires, through these gifts, is for me to be closer to Him? To know Him more?

Christmas 2010 was sweet, precious, cozy, and comfortable, full of good gifts, well-appreciated and generously given. And we have the blessing of a family who would all recognize the deep, rich, unseen but most meaningful gifts of all that are ours because of the magnificent story of redemption that starts in Genesis and runs in a fascinating red thread all the way to Revelation.