12/23 Stripping Away

Silence and Stillness before God (2 minutes)

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
Luke 2:19
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Written by Bethany Miller
I used to throw myself into creating elaborate Pinterest-y themed birthday parties for my boys. Our celebrations were huge and intricately planned and memorable. But by the time they turned eight, I was exhausted. The huge indoor parties had taken their toll, so we decided to do something different that year. We replaced our traditional big party with simple family celebrations. Pancakes with candles, cards created by their little sister, going out to dinner at their favorite restaurant, and lots of extra hugs and cuddles throughout the day. Instead of investing all of our time and energy into a few hours of intense celebration, we ended up taking a thousand little moments throughout their birthday week to anticipate, celebrate, and shower them with love. I remember Keith and I worrying that this shift might make the boys feel like they weren’t fully celebrated because of the lack of fanfare. But it turns out they actually felt more special and loved! And by stripping it all away, I was able to learn something important about myself. I realized that the elaborate celebrations were more about others’ expectations and my own desires than about honoring and celebrating the birth of my children. As this year requires a stripping away that many of us didn’t choose, may we find new opportunities to celebrate Jesus even more deeply.
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God, free us from the external expectations of the coming holidays, so that we can love you and those around us in the deepest way possible.

Conclude with Stillness (2 minutes)