Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store....

One of my all time favorite Christmas movies is How the Grinch Stole Christmas and my favorite line in the whole movie is "Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store, maybe just maybe it means something more". As I finished up my Christmas shopping and got excited about all the things I had gotten for Caleb and for Ryan, I had a wave of guilt overcome me. There are so many families out there that can't find the money for the next meal and here I am buying meaningless junk. I pray that I can instill the values in my son that make him grow up and realize that Christmas means something more than just the gifts. I know that he is just 2 1/2 months old right now and he really can't understand much of what happens around him, but I still worry that I am not good enough for him and that I won't do enough to lead him in the direction of Christ. I am reminded this Christmas season of a wonderful mother who is now in Heaven. How I wish she was still here for me to send a quick email to and receive back her encouraging words for a first time mom. I pray that I can have the same legacy in my children that she has so strongly left in her three!
The opportunity has come into my heart to teach children's choir at our church. I feel strongly that this is something I need to volunteer my time to take on and lead this. However, I also have an overwhelming fear that I won't be what the children need, that I will somehow let them and their parents down. I have never lead nor helped with children's choir before so I will be relying very heavily on God and praying that he use me in this position to draw these children closer to him. As I finish up this brief moment of silence as my precious son naps I want to mention a verse that was spoken on today in church, Revelation 21: 4 "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." I am so lucky to get the privilege of watching my son grow and change and I pray for the family of the mother I mentioned earlier. May they keep their faith in God this season as the upcoming anniversary of their mothers death looms.

Merry Christmas!