Out of the mouths of babes.......

I love the holidays. I love the Christmas season. Usually I start planning at the beginning of the year and because so many of my gifts are home made I start making them no later than July. Usually.......

This year things are a tad different. Because I've been so sick I've not been able to plan and make the gifts that I normally do, I've not been able to go shopping or prepare for all of the traditions that I love to fill December with.

I love making plates of goodies for neighbors and friends. I think our list is well into the 50's now. I try to simplify each year but when I look at my list there really is not a single person I could possibly take off my list and frankly I don't want to. I enjoy the days of baking and the preparing of the plates. My children love loading up in the truck, ringing door bells, and wishing everyone a "Merry Christmas".

I will miss that this year.....

I admit that for awhile there I was sad and felt sorry for myself. How do I make Christmas for my kids from bed. It isn't very productive feeling sorry for ones self so I pulled up my boot straps and got to work. I can, and I WILL make this year special I decided. I came up with the theme, "A More Christ Centered Christmas." I won't go into all of the details but it will be a simpler, more quiet Christmas with daily reminders of our Savior's life and His gifts to us this Christmas.





In preparation I set up the nativity. I had it set up so that I thought it looked aesthetically pleasing.





Later I noticed that things had been shuffled around and when I asked my daughter if she had touched the nativity she said, "yes, I made it so that they were all looking at the baby Jesus."

When will I ever learn.......I put the pieces back the way I'd had them and told her not to touch, that if they all had their backs turned we couldn't see them.......

As I lay in bed last night I thought about what had taken place and I felt so remorseful. My children do not need a lesson on making this a more Christ centered Christmas. It is I, who needs a lesson. My daughter had it right. We all need to have our eyes on the baby Jesus not worrying about appearances and if others will see us.





Thank you my baby girl for your lesson and gift you've given to me this Christmas season.