Family Memories

Christmas comes only once a year, something that makes the insane amount of preparation survivable by parents. However, knowing that it happens only one day in 365 makes me, as a parent, realize the significance of our family traditions. The things we do as an aspect of our annual family Christmas celebration will establish traditions for them that will be a part of their lifelong celebration of Jesus' birth. 

Each year on Christmas morning we begin our morning by reading the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke. This isn't an uncommon tradition for many families. Several years ago our family tradition changed when Sharalyn had the children act out the story. Now each year, while I read, the children put on towels and bathrobes and find broom sticks and stuffed sheep to help the Nativity story come to life. If my memory is correct, each of our children from Reuben [born in 2005] down to Zeke [born in 2012] have held the starting role as baby Jesus. 

Christmas morning wouldn't be the same for our family without this simple drama. I hope in the years to come, as my children become teenagers and then young adults, that they will be just as eager to act, and that the roles they take on will have great meaning for them.

"And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.'" [Luke 2:10-11]

Jesus > Fear For Our Children

I am tired. Not physically tired, or mentally, but tired in my spirit. Let me explain:

This morning a lovely senior lady from our church stopped by my office with gifts for my children. As we talked she was moved to tears as she heard about our shift to prayer at New Minas Baptist Church on Wednesday nights. She was moved to tears in part because of her love for Jesus and her desire to follow Him. However her tears are mainly for her children. She raised her children in church and in Sunday School, she taught them good morals and yet now as adults, while they still show the good morals in their lives, they walked away from faith and from Jesus. She prays constantly, believing that they are not Christians and that they need Jesus. She still has hope that they will know Jesus. She does not understand why they have chosen to walk away from the faith that they were taught as children and youth.

To many times in the past few months and years I have heard that same story. To many times parents, who love and follow Jesus themselves, have told me stories of their children who are far from God now. These stories are from parents who are parenting now and watching their children struggle and from parents whose children are now adults who show little evidence of Jesus in their lives.

I am tired - tired of hearing these heartbreaking stories, and tired of the fear that these stories will become my own.

However, I am now filled with excitement and energy as I come to prayer. I look forward to what God will do as we truly repent [Psalm 51] and seek Him [Jeremiah 29]. We must raise a white flag of defeat - we cannot win the battle for our children on our own. They need Jesus, and so do we.

Join us for Wednesday Prayer at 630pm. Everyone is welcome.