Is Jesus Enough?

I struggle this Christmas season with something I have struggled with for many Christmas seasons. My struggle? If my children woke up Christmas morning and there was nothing under the tree would their Christmas day be ruined? Would simply celebrating the birth of the new born king satisfy their hearts? Or have we sent our children a mixed message that Christmas is about Jesus and a futile attempt by Mom and Dad to fill up our children's love bucket with an excessive amount of stuff. Therefore, repeatedly clouding the message that Jesus is enough.

Maybe without much thought we have inadvertently taught our children that Jesus plus piles of gifts equals a Merry Christmas.

Jesus plus the latest electronic equals a Merry Christmas.
Jesus plus Lala Loopsie equals a Merry Christmas.
Jesus plus roller skates equals a Merry Christmas.

What about Jesus plus nothing equals a Merry Christmas?

If you asked me what my ideal Christmas would be I would tell that I envision a day full of giving and not getting. Waking up and serving a hot breakfast in a food kitchen and looking down the line and seeing the faces of my children serving others. Buying fresh water wells for a community that desperately needs one in order to maintain life. Buying a coat for a child so they don't freeze this winter. Delivering house goods to a family whose home has burned down, and on and on the list goes in my heart of what I dream will someday be our future Christmas.

But it's like swimming against the stream. Convincing yourself, your children, and others that in fact you aren't the Scrooge live and in person, but your desire comes from this raw, determined place in your heart that screams, "I will teach my children that Jesus IS enough!"

I am no different than you, I love giving gifts to my kids and to others. I love the way I feel when I watch them open something they desperately want. But I struggle with finding a more delicate and purposeful balance for Christmas day. I want to paint a better picture that Christmas is not about our fleeting "wants". I strive for us to remember as a family how utterly blessed we are 365 days of the year. I am determined to NOT be blinded by the obsession of excess in our country, our state, our county, and yes, even in our home. I want more for myself and for my family. I want Christmas to be about the Christ. Just not by capitalizing the CHRIST in Christmas cards and on facebook,or being warm and fuzzy and having our ears tickled at the Christmas Eve services only to then have momentary memory loss when the clock strikes 12 on Christmas. I really long to communicate in word and in DEED that Jesus is ENOUGH!

~Sara