Lighthouse Beams

Crider Nativity 2009

CHALLENGE: If you are a Christian make sure to put up a manger scene in your FRONT yard or where people can see it! Don’t have a manger scene have the kids color one for your window.

I know this sounds different but I’m seeing more Santa Claus and other non religious decorations going up for the holidays and we are forgetting the most important part of the name CHRISTmas!  A few years ago many started putting Xmas instead of CHRISTmas, but what they didn’t know was that in the Greek language the word Christ starts with a letter that looks like our X. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xmas) So they really didn’t succeed.  No matter how you spell Christmas, with out the first part it doesn’t make sense to leave out CHRIST.

A few years ago our family started wearing “It’s Okay to Wish me a Merry Christmas” button.  So many times all you hear is “have a wonderful holiday”.  Me I want to hear “Happy Thanksgiving” or “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Easter”.  Now you can have this same button on your car as a magnet, which we did last year.  Find out how to get yours at http://www.wmamc.com/.

Christmas isn’t all about the getting of gifts or the eating of food, CHRIST is the WHOLE reason for the season! If we discard HIM, CHRISTmas means nothing!!

Are you scared what someone else may think if you put one up in your yard?  What do we have to be ashamed of the ONE that came to earth as a Babe and then died for you and me?  He gave us the BEST gift and we need to let the world know that He is the CENTER of our celebration of HIS BIRTHDAY!  Christmas is a BIG event in our family and we love to decorate and celebrate, BUT we keep the BABE of BETHLEHEM in front and CENTER the whole time.  Gifts are nice and fun BUT we have learned that money isn’t what means the most and our kids have learned that they won’t have much under the tree because of medical bills throughout the year.  BUT we can be together as a complete family and love each other and have fun together and celebrate the BIRTHDAY of the MOST IMPORTANT person ever.

So, this year will you join us in putting the nativity in your FRONT yard where it can be seen or in your window?  Don’t be ashamed of CHRIST!  Because if we are ashamed of Him, He will one day be ashamed of us!

We hope you have a blessed CHRISTmas with CHRIST in the center of your celebration!

hsmom3

I'm the wife of my best friend that God gave to me over 20+ years ago. We have been blessed with 3 children, James (by adoption); Abigail & Milton (special needs child) and our service dog, Suzy. I have been blessed to be able to homeschool since 1997 and be the co-director with my husband, Michael, of the state wide Christian homeschool organization, MATCH since 1999. God has blessed us abundantly.