27 November 2019

Preparations have started. Gifts are being added to my shopping trolley as the days advance towards Christmas Day.

Phone calls are happening between family members so we can organize, at least starting to organize, whose house is it at this year. Most of us are travelling to Brisbane to have it for the first time in 35 years at the great grandparents house with most of  the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren  present. It is going to be bigger than Ben Hur. Soon the actual meals or food that your side of the family are bringing will be discussed.

Who’s getting gifts and what are we getting them? In my family, due to the  growing size of each individual family and the limited budgets, only children under a certain age  get presents now. With two exceptions. The adult members in my immediate family draw one ‘secret’ family adult member to buy for, with a limit to the cost and the ‘matre de’ of the family may receive or give gifts as they will.

The tree has been dusted from the box and new and old decorations ready for THE day (the first of December in our house) when you put the tree up. The garlands and figurines and wreaths are unboxed  to see if they will last another year.

As the box that holds the tree was untied, a piece of paper with my daughters handwriting slipped out. For a few years now, my third daughter Adrienne has put up the Christmas Tree, and each year she tries to ‘beat’ her time in putting it up. It brought a smile to my face.

The Christmas songs now can be loud on my iPhone again! And of course, the humming of the tunes that goes with that. I love Christmas carols!

Oh the traditions of Christmas that we all do in preparation for the event.

What traditions do your family have and/ or what new ones are you going to start?

My thoughts then turned to – what preparation am I doing  for myself for Christmas? How am I preparing my heart, my mind, my spirit  for the Saviour being born?

We go to all of these and more, preparation of food, decorations, gifts, giving to others, giving to charities, but do we prepare a  gift to the Lord? Do we prepare the Lord coming? Do we prepare to receive the gift of Himself?

Maybe our gift could be reading His Word every day and meditating upon it. Joining a small advent group and discussing the gospel readings from  Sunday at church. Maybe read a chapter of Luke a day (24 chapters – so this is your advent calendar you open every day. Sorry no chocolate!) and then by Christmas Day you will have read an entire gospel.

Maybe foregoing buying a coffee each day and giving the end total amount to the homeless  for their Christmas lunch. Going that step further and serving the homeless their lunch on Christmas Day. Serving the farmers, the drought and fire  affected people in our nations with Christmas gifts and lunch.

On top of that though are we opening up our Hearts for the Lord to feel welcome? Are we dusting out  the cobwebs within us? Do we have hearts that are building with excitement and anticipation for the Lord to be born as if it was for the first time?

Just like children we are encouraged to be giggling, excited waiting impatiently for the day  that Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the one so long awaited for is finally arriving.

My children would creep up to the Christmas tree when they thought no one was looking and shake a present that had their name on it. This made me smile too. They were excited about what they might get.

Do we go up to God with the same anticipation and ‘shake‘ the gift (JESUS Himself) that has our name on it. The gift may be courage, wisdom, joy, peace, love … the list goes on and on. Does this make God smile that we are excited by Jesus coming. Excited for Jesus (who has already come once), coming for the second time – (for no-one knows the hour nor the day).

The Angels soon will sing ‘Glory to God in the Highest and peace to his people on earth.’

Jesus birth brought a gift of peace. Now that was not the only gift but was definitely one that the angels sang about.

Maybe we can imitate Christ and bring Peace to our families, our friends, our nation. Be the Gift giver of Peace, of Love this Christmas.

What traditions do you have? Could start?

How could you prepare for Christ’s coming? Does it excite you with anticipation? What gift would you like? Put in your prayer/ wish list.

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love always

Rosemary

Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups. If you would like more information please click HERE.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What traditions do you have? Could start?

How could you prepare for Christ’s coming?

Does it excite you with anticipation?

What gift would you like? Put in your prayer/ wish list.