December Is Here

I lingered for several extra moments sitting at our dining room table this morning just watching the soft flakes of snow drift carelessly to the ground while "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" played on the radio. It was a pretty scene and one that I could have meditated on for hours, I think. But the day had to get started...

We had some snow flurries the day after Thanksgiving, as well as some cold temperatures. Yesterday was a contrast in weather, however. November closed out with a 55 degree morning and rain. (I spooked some turkeys as I went out to the chicken coop yesterday at 7:00am. I guess they were roosting so low in the hollow because of the rain?)It rained all day, in fact, and pretty much all night until the temperature dropped enough for it to change into this lovely snow to open up December with.

It feels like Christmas.

I usually enjoy the Christmas season as we celebrate Jesus coming into this fallen world in order to become the supreme sacrifice for all mankind and to be the Savior for those who accept Him! And that is what this season is all about. It's about Jesus and God's love for us. Jesus is love. Christmas is about that love!

It's not really about the gift buying and presents. We always enjoy giving and receiving presents during this celebration of love, but it should not really be necessary to spend a lot of money.

This Christmas finds me with very little extra money for presents, it seems. For the past couple of years we've donated $200 worth of toys to our volunteer fire department for their "Santa run". They take Santa around on the back of the fire truck throughout our community and he usually gives out candy, fruit and toys to the children. I think my children always liked seeing the fire truck with it's lights and siren more than seeing Santa Claus, but there is something pretty special about the Santa/fire truck combination. This year, Santa will not be getting any help from us...

I also enjoy buying nice Christmas gifts for my own children and family. I'm not sure what they will be getting this year, however.

My children are generally happy and content with what they already have and with using their own resourcefulness to have fun. I am grateful that they are not selfish and spoiled as so many children seem to be.

With as much fun as Timothy has with his old Tonka truck and soccer ball, I can't imagine him enjoying a new toy any better. Here's a couple pictures of him from earlier last month, having good old fashioned fun:






And Simon can have more fun climbing trees than any boy I have ever known! We are constantly telling him he should not climb any higher, for fear of him falling. When he is grounded, he is a very creative boy in making his own toys. He has been making parachutes that allow action figures to descend softly to the ground, boats with sails that really float across the pond, and he has been perfecting his homemade bow and arrows that can shoot pretty straight. One evening last month I got a couple pictures of Simon demonstrating his Robin Hood skills:

I'm sure they would like new fancy "stuff", but my point is that they will be happy without an extravagant pile of presents. Christina, Matthew and Erica are each similarly content and un-spoiled.

I'm sure we will be able to give them some nice gifts, but they really do understand that the Christmas season is all about God's love and the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Snow and gifts just add to the season.