I knew I needed time to refocus and refresh my mind, my spirit.
So I took a break from blogging.
It was just the thing I needed. Did I write any? I thought I would, but no, I didn’t. (Well, except for one post to say Merry Christmas, but that doesn’t count.) Did I miss it? Nope. Not until this week. Not writing and not thinking about what to write freed me in so many ways.
Over the next few days, I will share some of what I experienced and what those experiences have prompted me to do.
Reflection 1
I knew I wanted this Christmas to be a time of focus on the babe in the manger. I didn’t want the distractions of life to get in the way. I wanted to live intentionally in the full presence of God, who came as a baby, only to become the ultimate sacrifice for me. I wanted my kids to understand the Christ part of Christmas. No, I didn’t want them to understand the Christ part. I wanted them to experience it! I thought long and hard about how to do this. I prayed. A lot. As I read blogs about Advent, about finding joy, about unwrapping Jesus, about
So I did. With gusto. I involved my children in decorating the house for Christmas. As we worked, we talked. I shared my memories of Christmases past. My memories of family, of my dad especially. My dad passed away when I was 15 and the boys don’t know much about him. He always made Christmas magical for us and was such a Godly man. I want my boys to have his character. I talked about our traditions – especially the reading of the Bible on Christmas Eve. We talked about giving gifts and the greatest gift of all.
The boys weren’t always interested in what I had to say, but they heard me. I wondered many times if I was getting through to them. Right as I decided that I had failed miserably, Alex asked me to read the story of Jesus’s birth before opening Christmas presents. He knew why we were celebrating and wanted to be sure that we put Jesus at the front of our celebration. (He later changed his mind – the lure of presents was too much! He wanted to be sure that he heard the story – which he did on Christmas Eve.)
God showed me that the only way I can reach my children is to be with them, interacting with them, talking with them. I need to focus wholly on them. Not looking for a reason to blog, but looking for a connection. They won’t remember what they got for Christmas 10 years from now, but they will always remember that I spent time with them.
I learned that even an almost 10 year old boy who hates girly things like “love” and “hugs” always loves a mama who invests herself in him – even if he won’t say so. (I also learned that this same almost 10 year old will give his mama kisses for the right price, but that’s another story!)
I learned that 6 year old boys need their mamas more than ever, as they are transitioning into a role of greater independence. 6 year boys who are the middle child need even more mama time, because they need to know they’re as important as their older brother and as cherished as their younger brother.
I knew that 4 year old boys need their mamas always, but I learned that it’s not only because they’re 4. It’s also because they need to know that they haven’t been forgotten amidst the hustle and bustle of school parties and older brothers going out to play with friends and all the other things that happen that are not for 4 year old participation.
In other words, my boys need me. They don’t just need me to cook their dinner and wash their clothes. They need my love, my encouragement, my presence. More than that, they need me to model Christ. The most important thing I learned is this:
If I don’t show them Jesus, then who will?
