As much fun as it is to see your excitement for all of those special things, I hope that in time you will understand the true meaning of Christmas. There will come a day when you realize that Santa Claus isn't real, but I hope that you understand the spirit of Christmas is real. I hope you understand the reason we celebrate Christmas, and the spirit of giving that Santa Claus represents is a very real thing.
Santa Claus may not be real, but the fact that God sent His son to this earth for you is very real. "For God so loved the world that He "gave" His only begotten Son".....Christmas started with giving. God gave His Son. I hope you girls see how important you are in God's eyes. I also hope you understand how meaningful the spirit of giving can be. During the Christmas season, it is so easy to focus on the hustle and bustle of the holiday, the Christmas parties, the decorations, the material things that are on the wish lists of loved ones. It is so easy to focus on the things that really aren't important. I hope that in the midst of all of the Christmas chaos that can surround you, that you stop and remember the reason you are celebrating. God gave His son for you....may you understand the love in that, the spirit of giving in that, and may you focus on the things that are important during the season.
When people think of giving, the majority of things that come to mind are material things. Giving gifts, giving money. However, you may not always be in a position to give those things. When you are in high school and have no job, in college with a part-time job and a full load of classes, or even a married adult with young children. There are many seasons of life that may not afford you the ability to give monetarily. During those times, I challenge you to really think outside the box and find ways to give to others in honor of what you have been given. Your time, your prayers, your thoughts, your words. All of these things can be used in amazing ways to spread the spirit of giving, of love, of Christ. God knows your heart, He knows your desires, He knows your spiritual gifts, and He can use you in powerful ways. May you look to Him and be used by Him during this season, and also throughout your life.
I love celebrating Christmas with each of you. I love seeing the joy on your face and in your eyes. And I love that you are so excited at 5, 3, and 1 about presents at Christmas. However, I pray that Christmas becomes so much more than that to you as you grow. May you truly see the birth of Jesus as a gift to each of you, and may you spread the joy that He brings you to those around you.
Thank you girls for teaching me. I hope to be able to write you more letters, more experiences, more lessons that I have learned. However, if I never say another thing, you will be fine. I know this for sure. God has you. He holds you in His hand and He has you. He loves you more than I ever could, and I believe with everything in me that you will be completely fine. However, I love sharing with you about you, about me, just as much as I love seeing the joy in your faces during this Christmas season.
I love you!
Mommy
