How the Johnson Family Celebrates CHRISTmas and New Years!

Today I'd like to share with you how we celebrate CHRISTmas, most likely, because it's different than most families we know.  We are not saying we are celebrating CHRISTmas the "right" way or the "only" way.  This is just how God has laid upon our hearts to celebrate Jesus' birth.

Growing up, both my husband and I celebrated CHRISTmas the traditional way (except without Santa).  Going into our marriage, we did the same.  However, with the birth of our first child, we had realized we wanted something different. 

The following is a list of reasons that got us to thinking about WHY we wanted to do something different than how we were currently celebrating CHRISTmas.

1)  We did not want our children to associate CHRISTmas with receiving!!  With receiving often comes selfishness and coveting.  Certainly, in order to give, SOMEONE has to receive.  We think receiving is wonderful...we just don't want it to be the focus of CHRISTmas.

2)  We wanted to celebrate Christ's birth, not just some holiday that we use as an excuse to get presents and to celebrate ourselves.

3)  At this time of year, many people are hurting and we wanted to help others (we feel like that is one of the best CHRISTmas gifts we could give to Jesus on His birthday)!

4)  We did not want to pressure ourselves with feeling like we HAD to get everyone a gift.  Often we found ourselves buying someone a gift we wouldn't normally have because they got us one.  Or maybe a family member spent a certain amount on a gift for us and we felt obligated to spend the same amount.  We also found it financially straining to purchase everything at one time of year (especially now with baby #2's birthday only three days after CHRISTmas).



These are some of the things we wanted to correct in our family's CHRISTmas celebration.  Therefore, we decided not to receive any gifts in the month of December (nor give any traditional gifts).  So, we told our friends and family our plan, and "most" of them respectfully wait until January 1st (which is the day we have chosen to have our gift exchange).  We are grateful when someone gives us a gift and certainly will accept any gift that is given.  But December 25th is not our family's time for the exchanging of gifts (I'll explain about New Year's later).

We also play a gift exchange game on CHRISTmas at our family gathering.  We feel that this is fine as long as it's about fun and fellowship and not about the gift.  If we feel our children are only playing for the gift, we will stop playing.  It's great to enjoy the gifts we receive during this time, but it is not to be our focus and purpose for playing.

Anyways, so why did we feel like this would help us with our issues listed above?   Well, we wanted to take the focus off of ourselves and put it back on Jesus.  Think about it for a moment.  If it were your birthday and no one got you a gift, you'd probably be kind of sad.  Not only did no one get you a gift, but they gave everyone else one in "honor" of your birthday, instead.  We just wanted to celebrate Jesus' birthday and not "Christmas." 

With that goal in mind, our entire purpose in December (although we should be doing this all year round) is to do something each day for Jesus for His birthday.  We feel like the best ways we can do this is to:

1)  Continue to Daily Grow in Him and Follow His Will
2)  Serve Others as Christ Did

3)  Share the Gospel with Others


So, everyday in December, we have decided to do one of those things.  One day we may spend all day handing out tracts.  The next day, we may make cookies for our firefighters, policemen, and Emergency Room Staff.  Another day, we may pack shoeboxes for those in need.  We might one day help a widow with something he/she needs.  We may take a day and visit the nursing home.

There is an unlimited amount of things we can do each day.  Some take creativity, some take money, but they all take prayer!  We just try and seek the things that God would have us do that year.  We want Him to smile when He gets His present each day! 

We also make sure we are reading the CHRISTmas story every year on CHRISTmas Day!  Singing songs is always fun too!

NEW YEAR'S DAY

 

 

Now before you think our children are disadvantaged, they do have a day for gifts like all other children.  While we don't go all out, they do have some wrapped gifts (mostly useful items rather than a bunch of toys).  We want our children to not only learn how wonderful it is to give, but to learn to be gracious receivers as well.

When our children get older, I have been thinking about playing a game.  We can practice giving each other terrible gifts (wrap up some toilet paper, put some spoiled food in a gift bag, etc).  We can have fun picking crazy gifts.  The point is to have a good reaction when you get a terrible gift.  It's about learning to be gracious for the thought of the gift, as opposed to being upset that you didn't get what you wanted. 

For example, one of my children may get me some shampoo for my birthday because they remember hearing that I had made the comment last week that I needed to get some.  Of course, I probably have already purchased it, and shampoo is not typically what you would expect to get as a gift.  However, I need to be concerned with the thoughtfulness of the gift, rather than the gift itself.  That is what we want to teach our children.


There is no special thing about opening gifts on New Years as opposed to CHRISTmas.  We just felt that it would be difficult to focus on others when we're concerned about what was under the tree for ourselves. 

Not to mention, our children will be accustomed to celebrating on New Years (since it will be all they have ever done), and won't know any different.  Some benefits to doing it this way are:


1)  We are more available to see other family at CHRISTmas when they are off from work since we do not have something planned for that day.

2)  We get 50% or more off presents because we can purchase them after CHRISTmas.  We can either get someone twice as much, or spend half of our budget!

3)  We are focused on the real meaning of CHRISTmas since we are daily, purposely doing things for Jesus.




What are some ways your family celebrates CHRISTmas?  What are ways you purpose to make CHRIST the center of this season?  What kind of traditions do you have?  I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!


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A Heart of Thankfulness versus a Heart of Complaining

As Thanksgiving is fast approaching, it gives us all a reminder to evaluate the blessings in our lives.  Some of you that may be reading this might be able to come up with a list as long as a child's Christmas list for the things you are grateful for.  Other readers may be going through a difficult time and find it challenging to come up with a healthy list.

My purpose in this post is to remind us all of the things we are to be thankful for.

Remember, there is always someone out there who would love to have your life!  You may be thinking of the financial bind you're in.  You may be desperately wanting to have children, but can't seem to conceive.  You may be experiencing the grief that comes with the loss of a loved one.   You may have even found out that you have cancer.  Yet, there is someone in this world who is worse off than you and would rather be in your shoes.

There are so many things that we have to be thankful for, but often, we tend to focus on the troubles in our lives.  Let's first look at some Scripture:

Psalm 100:4

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name."

 

Philippians 4:6

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."

 

We are to enter prayer with God with thankfulness.  Always...so despite your troubles, I encourage you to always begin your prayers with thanksgiving.  Praise God first.  Often, when you begin thanking Him for all He has done, the troubles you are bringing to Him don't seem quite as big.

I started a prayer journal awhile back.  In the front of the journal are a list of things I have to be thankful for.  I pray this before taking my needs to God.  Let me tell you what, not only is this wonderful for memory, but it changes my spirit.  I realize when I'm tired and worn out from washing dishes, I can be thankful for that sink full!  If you're struggling with contentment, I encourage you to click here.

The second verse reminds us to be thankful in all things.  It's okay to ask God to heal you of cancer.  But it's not okay to be discontent if He chooses not to heal you.  In fact, you need to be thankful!

I know that's a bold statement and even though I'm writing about it, I can't imagine how difficult that must be.  Yet, I know that for those of us who know that God loves us, and He really wants what is best for our lives, we need to trust Him to take care of us. 

We have no comprehension of God's ways.  But we can trust that He will do what is best for our lives.  We just need to focus on Him and staying on His path.

That's how we can be thankful.  If you're struggling with depression, and you can't figure out why...did it ever occur to you that God could be using this time in your life to teach you something?

I'm the world's worst complainer.  I guess it comes natural to me.  When someone helps me with the dishes so I don't have to do them all to myself, I think thoughts of frustration because they didn't do it right.  How wrong of me.  I could be choosing to have a heart of gratitude for someone caring enough about me to try and help, and I'm concerned about it being done correctly over their intentions to help me. 

When something doesn't go exactly how I expected, I complain.  When anything is out of the norm, I complain.  Oh I may not always do it out loud, but God hears my thoughts.  He knows my heart.

Then, on days like today, I think about those who would love to be in my shoes.  Most days I have a hard time thinking of who would want to be in my shoes, but when I think about it, I have a pretty amazing life.

I want to show you some of my common complaints, and then I want to show you what I SHOULD be thinking or saying instead:
 

 

If the baby wakes up in the middle of the night, I should be grateful that my child is alive.  So many parents get sleep through the night, only to wake up the next morning to find their child not breathing.  They would have obviously given up an entire night of sleep for their child's safety.  I should be grateful to wake up to tend to a healthy child through the night.

We can take our circumstances and complain or we can have a heart of thanksgiving.  What good does the complaining do?  Actually, it probably takes time off of our lives.  But what it doesn't do is solve the problem.  It only makes us a person no one wants to be around.

We can take our troubles to God, but we need to accept His perfect Will.  We must trust that He has our best interest at heart.  Instead of asking Him to just heal my cancer...why not say something like: "God, I want to be healed of this cancer, but if You have a better plan for my life, that is what I ultimately want.  If you want me to endure this cancer, I pray that you help me to use it to show others to You.  I want to show others that I will serve You regardless of my present circumstances.  Give me the strength to follow through with Your perfect plan."

 

I know it's easier said than done.  But when I find myself complaining, I realize that it does nothing for my situation.  It actually makes it worse because it makes my mood worse! 

I don't just want to change the things that come out of my mouth, but I want to change my entire thought process.  It's hard when you've been thinking like this for so many years.  I want to learn to have a heart and mind of gratitude and not ungratefulness.

When having thoughts of discouragement and am tempted to complain, my goal is to think of the Cross.  Is what I'm battling worse than what Jesus endured on the Cross?  All of a sudden, I remember that I have a reason to be grateful, and it is greater than any problem I could be facing.

So, for those of you who tend to be optimistic even in the dark times, how do you do it?  Any tips?  I'd love to hear your words of encouragement!  Just leave me a comment below!  Hopefully, where I am weak, you are strong and vice versa.  May we learn from our sisters in Christ and begin to be what God wants us to be...not just to be better than most!

I look forward to hearing your words of encouragement!

 

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Halloween...Should Christians Celebrate it or not?

October is nearing its end this year and as I go through the aisles at Wal-Mart, I am reminded that Halloween is upon us.  I often hear many Christians say they don't celebrate this holiday, while other Christians find nothing wrong with it as long as they are not practicing the evil origins of it.  So who is right?  Should a Christian celebrate Halloween or not?

I can't answer that for you.  That is something that you and your spouse have to prayerfully consider, as with anything that involves your family.  I can, however, tell you what God has laid upon our hearts.  Though you and I may ultimately choose different sides of this issue, may each of us have made our decision in prayer.  I don't want to celebrate just because it's fun and all of my children's friends are doing it!  In the same respect, I don't want to NOT celebrate it just to be self-righteous.  I want to take every issue that involves our family to my husband...ultimately, He is the decision maker.  Thankfully, he values my opinion on issues as well.

Ultimately, though, we want to be pleasing to God.  If we are not sure on an issue, it is ALWAYS better to err on the side of caution.

So what is Halloween really all about and why do some people not celebrate it?  Well, I'm not going to get into all the depths of Halloween.  The Bible speaks about not learning about other gods.  You can research it if you must, but let's just say, God wasn't pleased. 

Today, people in America don't celebrate Halloween in the same way of its origins.  It's almost become its own holiday.  Thus, dividing Christians on whether it's okay to celebrate it or not.

Okay, so here's my background with Halloween:

We always celebrated it as children.  It was about the candy and nothing else.  I was never really big into dressing up (took too much work), although we often had homemade costumes.  I usually was a clown or something that was simple to be.  I went to my public school one year in elementary without a costume and I guess the teacher felt sorry for me because she dressed me up.  Halloween was never important to us, just the candy.

When my husband and I first got married, I never saw an issue with Halloween.  My husband, however, did.  Therefore, we did not celebrate it.  Now that I have children, though, I see things differently.

Here are the main reasons we don't celebrate Halloween:

1)  It's origins- Despite the fact that no one really celebrates any of our holidays by it's origins, it's still a holiday that could be associated with how it began (and that is something we do not feel God would approve of).

2)  What it means today- I love corn mazes and such, but it seems that every one of them always has to be associated with Halloween.  Haunted Houses are also really popular this time of year.  There's things made to scare you (I do not want to scare my children), made to gross you out (even I don't want to be grossed out), and much of Halloween represents death and coming back from the dead.  Whether it be someone with a chainsaw, a witch, or a ghost, Halloween represents everything that is the opposite of Christ.  We may think, "what does a little fun hurt," but recently, I've been convicted of something....

"If it's not edifying, it's not worth it."

  I still struggle in this area...Halloween, though, is pretty easy for me to give up.  But with all of the evil that is represented with Halloween today, I don't want my children to have any part of it.

3)  The candy- you heard me.  The thing I loved as a child, is part of the reason I don't like Halloween today.  I certainly don't want my children going door to door to get candy from strangers.  Who knows what could be done to the candy these days.  I get that we could go to a church or family member's home.  But as far as trick-or-treating, it's not for us.

4) It's a good day to deer hunt-  Yeah you heard me right!  We want to spend our days doing something we enjoy, not something we are told we have to celebrate for a tradition we don't care about.  October 31st is a good day to hunt, so we think that is probably where you will find most of us on this day.  While other kids are getting candy, my kids are going to be providing meat!

5) It's expensive- have you seen the cost of costumes these days?  Not to mention bags of candy (which are not good for you anyways).  You'll see that we celebrate most holidays after the actual holiday in this family (we like to get things for 50% off, and if you start young, the kids don't know any difference).  The kids like it because we can get more for our money!

6)It's not edifying-  There is nothing in Halloween that will lead others to Christ...in fact, it's just the opposite.  Now, we could stay at home, turn on our porch light, and hand out candy and gospel tracts.  However, we don't want our children to feel like they're "missing out" when they see the other children.  So for us, we're avoiding it all together.  Although, something we may consider is to leave a few bags of candy on the doorstep with tracts inside (of course, some kids may just take ALL of the candy). 

I think witnessing to others on this holiday is wonderful!  But you also have to be careful what you subject your children to.  In the end, you have to look at your options and decide.  But don't try to fit God into Halloween.  See if Halloween, or anything else your deciding, fits into your life with God. 

These are the main reasons we choose to not celebrate Halloween in our family.  We don't feel like our kids are missing out on anything.  In fact, we will replace that day with something they like better!  Some of our kids may like to hunt, some may not.  The point is to do something together as a family that we all enjoy.  To me, family time is edifying.  Building relationships is edifying.

Halloween can be fun.  Certainly you can go to your church, have a trunk or treat, have good fellowship, play games, and have candy.  I have done this.  But I must say, when I did this, there was no virtually no witnessing, kids wore whatever costumes they wanted, and we as Christians wanted to celebrate for fear of feeling "left out."  My friend, we are children of the King, we are NOT left out!

Celebrate it how you wish, but just make sure it's pleasing to God in all ways.  If it's even slightly questionable, don't do it! 

Instead, we usually try to celebrate Fall.  We all love the fall weather and will probably take our "summer homeschooling vacation" in the fall every year!  We love hayrides, corn mazes (that are JUST corn mazes), hunting, going to the park, and all of the wonderful things we can do together as a family outside.  We want to celebrate this season of the year that God has given us!

So, what are some reasons other than mine that you don't celebrate Halloween?  Or, maybe, what are some of the reasons why you do?  I'm always open for a kind debate.  However, we must all remember that we are responsible for our own families.  If you celebrate Halloween, that has no bearing on me or my family. It does not offend me.  I only ask that everyone prayerfully make decisions based upon Scripture and Prayer and not our own desires for entertainment.  I look forward to your feedback!

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