Christmas, through the eyes of a child, is incredibly bright and full of promise. Promise of goodies, of joy and cheer, of colorful lights and tinsel, it is a time that smells delicious and wonderful, with hope for gifts and fun things to do.
Expectations and hopes are what prime our hearts minds to flow and look forward to the future. We don’t like to think about when those hopes become dampened, or the expectations nosedive to the ground.
I think all hopes and expectations should be pillowed and insulated with lots of love and care. If circumstance ruin the Christmas expectations of goodies and celebration, when the insulation of love surrounds the family, those disappointments can be weathered. It is a very hard crash when promises are only based in material guarantees. Love is not the latest toy or biggest pile of presents. Those who define it for themselves in that way are foolish.
Mary may have had dreams of a wedding, or her baby to be born where her friends and family were nearby. Certainly her plans did not include traveling a long journey to a strange place, needing an Angel to answer her husband-to-be disappointments. But the great love of the Heavenly Father and the amazing honor of being Christ’s mother filled her heart with joy.
Joy does not come with everything turning out our way, but being loved and included.
Give the gift of showing love in clear unmistakeable ways today.
How does that look to each of you?
Make Lovely Memories, Not Disappointments
Wilton 2″ favor tins topped with cutout numbers and inset with punched circles marked with family activities.
Whether you make this mini Advent calender to add to this weeks celebration or create it to use next year, have fun thinking up fun family activities to paste inside treat boxes. They can be magnetic ones or some other type.
Today’s candle on the Advent wreath is the Candle of Peace or “Preparation”, and it gives us a theme of making things, and preparing crafts and baking for Christmas celebration and giving. Be ready to do things all week.
