Manna For Moms

Devotions for Moms Like You!

Devotions

The Monkey Pumpkin

Megan Breedlove No Comments

The school’s contest rules were simple: get a pumpkin. Decorate it like a character from your favorite book. Do it by yourself.

The very day Lindsey brought home the note about the pumpkin decorating contest, she excitedly told me she wanted to enter. She would decorate her pumpkin like a monkey (of course), and the pumpkins would be displayed in the school library, “where everyone can see them.” Lindsey wanted to go buy pumpkin-decorating supplies immediately.

We weren’t able to go right then, but one weekend we did go to Wal-Mart to pick out a pumpkin, some paint, and some ribbon. Lindsey had already designed the pumpkin in her mind, and she intended for it to be painted brown, with brown construction paper ears, arms, legs, and a tail. The eyes, nose, and mouth would be painted on, and the monkey would have a bow on her head.

So we bought brown, black, and white paint and a spool of ribbon that was pink with white polka dots. “Can I start on my pumpkin as soon as we get home?” Lindsey wanted to know.

Monkey PumpkinI said yes, and that’s what she did. She covered that pumpkin with brown paint, leaving space for the eyes, which she painted in later. She added a nose and mouth, taped on the bow, and then taped on arms, legs, and a tail. The whole thing took…well, not nearly as long as I thought it would.

And the results were…well, it was obvious Lindsey had followed the rules and made that pumpkin all by herself.

Yet Lindsey was fiercely proud of it. She loved that pumpkin, and she still does. She carried it carefully into the school and entered it in the contest. And even when it didn’t win (many of the pumpkins had obviously had parental help involved), she proudly brought it home to display.

Lindsey is dreading the day when her pumpkin begins to rot and we have to throw it away. She will grieve over the loss of that pumpkin. Because even though it wasn’t judged to be much by other people’s standards, it was hers, and to her, it was the greatest.

It’s kind of like how God sees us. He knows that not many of us are judged to be beautiful, talented, wealthy, or valuable by the world’s standards. But He loves us not based on what the world says about us, but based on the fact that He made us. We’re His, and He loves us. It’s that simple.

Your value as a person comes not from anything the world says about you or any contest you might win, but from the fact that you belong to God. When He looks at you, He doesn’t look at your outward appearance (beauty, fame, wealth, or talents) but at your heart. Is your heart right toward Him? Does His Holy Spirit live there? Do you love Him? Are you His? Then you are precious to Him.

It doesn’t matter what the world says. It doesn’t make a bit of difference whether or not you win or lose a particular contest. You are precious to God because you belong to Him.

1 Samuel 16:7—But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (NIV)

No Room for Clothes

Megan Breedlove No Comments

Suitcase with stuffed animalsThis past weekend, our family took a trip to see my in-laws (“Grandma and Pampa”, as the kids call them). Friday was our day to pack and prepare for the trip, and when we do, even the kids help by packing some of their own things. I was working on one particular task when Jessica came into the room pulling her suitcase, which appeared stuffed to the gills.

“I finished packing my stuffed animals,” she said. “But now I don’t have any room for my clothes.”

“You have to pack your clothes first,” I said.

“Oh,” she said, turning to eye the suitcase as if trying to figure out how she could make both clothes and stuffed animals fit in there.

I didn’t blame her for wanting to fill her suitcase full of twenty or thirty of her favorite stuffed friends. As a child, I loved my stuffed animals too. The only problem was that stuffed animals can’t be allowed to take the place of clothes to wear.

You and I sometimes find ourselves in a situation similar to Jessica’s. We’ve filled our lives with good things, maybe even very good things, and that’s fine. But what’s not fine is when we allow the good things to crowd out the truly essential things.

We find time for soccer practice and Facebook, but we don’t find time for a daily time spent with God. Or we have time for our friends or favorite leisure pursuits, but we don’t have time to go to church on a regular basis.

In other words, we prioritize earthly things over cultivating our relationship with God.

Those earthly things may seem more urgent, but they usually aren’t. What could be more urgent than our connection to God? Yet we put virtually everything else in front of it, and things like a daily quiet time get pushed to the side, if they even happen at all.

But if we’re too busy to have a regular time with your Creator, we’re just plain too busy. When our plate is overloaded, something may have to give. But that something shouldn’t be our intimacy with God.

True, we may have to be creative in scheduling time to develop our relationship with Him. There will be days when we have to take time with Him where we can get it. But unless you and I make time spent with Him a priority, it’s probably not going to happen.

Moms, let’s get our priorities straight. Let’s not stuff our lives so full of the non-essentials or seeming essentials that we have no time left for what is truly essential. Let’s get first things first—and then, in the time that’s left over, we can schedule all those other things.

Let’s not let other things, even good ones, stuff our suitcases so full that there’s no room left for what we really need.

Psalm 73:25—Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. (NIV)

Underneath

Megan Breedlove No Comments

Darth LeiaTwo nights ago, my daughter attended her friend Darby’s birthday party. The guests were invited to come in costume, and Ellie thought she might want to be a cat. My husband took her shopping for a cat costume, but when they came home, Ellie was holding a Darth Vader mask and a black cape (she’s a huge Star Wars fan). “See, mom? I’m going to be Darth Vader!” Ellie proclaimed. “And underneath, I’m going to be Princess Leia.”

My husband had pointed out to Ellie that she wouldn’t feel like wearing her mask throughout the party and suggested that she take off the cape too and have another costume underneath. So Ellie decided to go with Princess Leia.

Ellie put on a flowing white dress she has that also has a small white cape to go with it. Then I braided her long blond hair into two braids, one on each side of her head, and wound each braid into a “cinnamon roll” shape above her ears. Ellie planned on showing up to the party in her Darth Vader costume, and then, when everyone guessed that she was Darth Vader, taking off her black accessories to reveal her Princess Leia costume underneath. She wanted to surprise everyone, and that was understandable. It’s fun to dress up as your favorite characters. And if you can throw a surprise into the mix, well, that’s even better.

What’s not so good is when, in real life, we put on an appearance for others that doesn’t match the real person underneath.

Usually, we do this because we’re afraid of letting our real selves be known. We fear that if people knew the real us, they wouldn’t like us. So we hide who we really are, putting on a false front that we hope will please others, in order to gain their acceptance. We keep our innermost feelings, thoughts, and beliefs to ourselves. And what happens then is that people may like or approve of our costume, but they don’t know who we really are underneath.

It’s true that sometimes, people will reject us if we displease them. We’ve all had the experience of being rejected by someone who determined we weren’t really what he or she were looking for. We weren’t good enough. Weren’t what he or she wanted.

For those of you who have experienced such painful rejection in the past and would like to talk more about it, just contact me through my website. I’ve been there too, and I understand what it’s like to be rejected. I also want to tell you that I’m sorry it happened to you. I know it hurts, and I’m sorry.

But there’s something else I want to tell you, too, something I’ve learned from my experiences of being rejected, and that’s this: there is one Person who will never reject you. That’s God.

Despite the fact that He knows exactly what you’re like (putting on a front never works with Him; He always knows better), He loves you. He’s chosen to love you and promised to be with you always.

Hard to believe? I know. It was hard for awhile for me to believe it, too. But as I’ve learned to love and trust Him more, and learned to absorb more of His love for me, I’ve also learned just how vast and deep that love is. It’s stronger than the worst things you or I have ever done. It’s deeper than anything we’ve been or failed to be. It’s limitless and unchanging, and it’s offered to the person we really are, not somebody we pretend to be.

With God, we never have to pretend. We never have to put on a costume and hope to be mistaken for someone else. We can be who we really are, and be confident that we will always find full acceptance and love in God, no matter what.

True, He doesn’t always love what we do, and He never accepts sin. But He always loves and accepts us.

It’s an incredible idea, one that it took me many years to wrap my mind around. But it’s true, because Scripture teaches it over and over. God loves us. He loves us. He loves us. The real us—the person we are underneath.

1 John 3:1—How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (NIV)

Hebrews 13:5b—God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (NIV)

Dressed for Church

Megan Breedlove 4 Comments

Yesterday morning, as she does every Sunday morning, Lindsey (7.5 years old) got herself dressed for church. She chose a red and black plaid dress and her black shoes, and put them on. And then, she did her hair.

When I saw her, she had two ponytails, one on each side of her head. They weren’t quite smooth, and she had missed some hair in the back. Nonetheless, she was proud of having done her own hair.

I had a choice. I could either help her fix her hair, or I could let her leave it as it was. The first option would have produced better-looking hair. The second would have produced more self-confidence in Lindsey.

I chose to let her leave her hair as it was. That’s because her efforts were good enough for me. I was proud of her.

Why? Because she’d done her best.

It’s the same way God feels about us, moms. He knows that our fumbling efforts don’t produce near the results He could have produced. Yet He accepts our attempts with pride in us—if we’ve done our best.

Isn’t it great that God doesn’t demand that we be perfect in order for Him to be proud of us? He’s proud of you, and He’s proud of me—despite the fact that we’re not perfect.

Many times we as moms get the idea that we have to be a perfect mom, wife, woman, sister, or friend in order for God to be proud of us. If God’s perfect, we (incorrectly) reason, He won’t be proud of anything less than perfection.

Let’s be clear here. When we sin, God is not pleased. He is not proud. But when we do our best—when we put forth our best effort—He is both pleased and proud. In fact, He’s even willing to help us by giving us wisdom, strength, and comfort, so that we can do our best.

Have you ever stopped to think that God is proud of you? That if you’re truly doing the best you can, making no excuses but doing your best, He is really, really proud?

He’s proud of how you spoke kindly to your daughter despite the fact that she was getting on your last nerve. He’s proud of the way you got the living room clean, even though the whole house wasn’t clean. He’s proud of how you made that decision or got up repeatedly in the middle of the night with a sick child. He’s proud of—well, anything you did your best on.

So what does it mean to do your best? It means to do the most you can with what God has given you. It means to operate in His strength, taking advantage of His resources, for His glory.

If that’s how you usually operate, mom, you make God proud on a regular basis.

If it’s not, you can always change that. You can go before Him anytime and ask Him to help you make that a reality so that you can operate that way. Tell Him you want to make Him proud, and ask Him to help you do it.

And then bask in the warmth of knowing that your Daddy’s proud of you.

Colossians 3:23—Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.

Serving Royalty

Megan Breedlove No Comments

Two days ago, I threw a birthday party for a king. Nobody saw Him, but He was there. He really enjoyed the results of the time and effort I had put into the party. He loved the gifts and the games. And He laughed with us as we took turns beating the piñata with a special stick. It might have looked like the birthday party was for my nine-year-old son Kenny, but it was for a King.

Yesterday morning, the King’s allergies were bothering Him, and He was sick. I comforted Him and kept Him extra close to my side. I told Him I was sorry He was feeling sick and that I hoped He would get better soon. I prayed for Him. It might have looked like I was tending to my seven-year-old daughter Lindsey, but I was ministering to the King.

By now you’ve figured out that the King I’m referring to is Jesus. And you might think I’m saying merely that Jesus wanted me to serve my children, and I obeyed, and that’s what I mean when I say I served Him. But there’s far more to it than that.

In the 25th chapter of Matthew, Jesus tells a group of people that they ministered to Him in a variety of ways. They question this. “Lord, when did we ever minister to you in prison, or when did we ever see you sick or naked and help you?” they ask. Jesus tells them, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these my brothers, you did for me.”

If that’s true—and since Jesus said it, we know that it is—then the things we do for our children have incredible significance because Jesus takes it personally. So I didn’t just make sure my children ate breakfast—I fed Jesus Himself. You didn’t just help your daughter tie her shoes—you helped Jesus clothe Himself properly.

Everything you and I do as moms in service to our families is done directly to Jesus. It matters, moms. You’re not merely doing the same things you’ve done a thousand times before, you’re ministering directly to the Lord.

True, you don’t see Jesus’ face when you look at the little boy in that high chair. It’s not His chubby cheeks you see smeared with the same spaghetti sauce that’s in his hair and all over the tray. But He’s there.

It might not look like Jesus whom you’re driving to school, to a playdate, or to a doctor’s appointment. But it is. Because Jesus said that when you drive your daughter somewhere she needs to go—when you do something for someone else—you are doing it directly for Him.

Precious mom, do you think of your motherhood this way? That all of your service is directly ministering to the Lord? That in fact, as a mom, you can minister to Him in ways that others cannot?

You have a unique and precious calling—the calling not only to serve your children, but to serve Jesus in some very practical and direct ways. What you do matters, mom, and you matter—far more than you may realize.

What have you done for Jesus today? I bet it’s more than you think.

Matthew 25:40—The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (NIV; see verses 31-46 for the whole story)

Lost Tooth

Megan Breedlove No Comments

A couple weeks ago, Lindsey lost a tooth. I mean, she really lost it.

Her tooth had fallen out at school, and the school nurse gave her a tiny plastic treasure chest to put the tooth in. When the neighbor brought Lindsey home, Lindsey came bounding up the steps to show me her treasure. The only problem was that when she opened the treasure chest, the tooth was no longer there.

We glanced quickly all around the porch, but no tooth. We traveled Lindsey’s route backwards to the neighbor’s driveway, but still we didn’t see the tooth. We asked the neighbor to look in her truck, but she didn’t see the tooth either.

Lindsey was crushed.

I made her come in and do her homework, because despite her grief, it had to be done. After she finished, Lindsey asked if she could search some more outside for the tooth. I agreed, and I helped her search. We all did. But no tooth.

Have you ever tried to search for a tiny, white tooth in a gravel driveway that had lots of small, white rocks, or in a yard that also had plenty of small, white rocks? We did. And we didn’t find it.

We still hadn’t found it by the time my husband came home from work. He helped look, and he didn’t find it either. Suppertime came, and I made Lindsey stop searching and come inside. She came obediently, but the minute supper was over, back outside she went, searching. “God, please let me find it,” I heard her praying over and over. “Please.”

I prayed too. In fact, we all prayed for Lindsey to find her tooth. Then I went back outside to help her search. It was getting dark. I was getting hopeless. Once again, we traveled the path between the neighbor’s driveway and our front porch without finding it. And then….

“Would you please ask your mom if we can look in y’all’s truck again?” I asked the neighbor girl, who was helping us search.

She went back inside, and soon I heard the locks on the truck click open. We began to search, Lindsey and me on one side, Gisselle on the other. “Is this your tooth?” Gisselle said suddenly, extending something toward Lindsey.

Lindsey and her toothLindsey took the object. She examined it. “Oh, thank you!” she exclaimed, wrapping the surprised Gisselle in a huge hug. “And thank you, God!”

Thank you, God, I prayed silently. You cared, and you answered.

The woman who was searching for a lost coin or the shepherd searching for a lost sheep (see Luke 15 for both stories) had nothing on Lindsey. She searched more than diligently, refusing to give up. She just kept searching and praying until it was found.

You and I would do well to be as diligent as Lindsey in pursuing our requests of God—to refuse to give up. It is true that God sometimes says ‘no’ to our requests. But when He hasn’t said no, we need to keep asking.

Too often, we don’t ask all that diligently because we don’t have much faith that God is going to do anything about our problem. We know that He can decline to grant our requests, and we figure He probably will. So we don’t ask all that hard. We ask a couple of times and then give up. Oh well, we tried. But Jesus says that isn’t the way we’re supposed to do it.

In Luke 18, Jesus tells the story of a judge who didn’t fear God or care about any of the people coming before him. Yet there was one poor woman who kept coming to the judge asking for justice—for him to do something. And the judge thought to himself (I’m paraphrasing here), I better just help her, or she’s going to wear me out by coming before me all the time! So he granted her request.

Jesus then made the point that if a mere man will help someone who keeps asking, how much more ready is God to help those who ask Him!

Again, it’s true that God sometimes says no. Sometimes, He says ‘wait’. But there are other times when we could have so much more than what we have if we would just ask for it, and keep asking.

What is there in your life that you need desperately? Are you asking God for it, or have you given up? My friend, don’t give up until God says ‘no’. Don’t put yourself in the position of missing out on something you could have had just because you gave up too soon.

Keep asking.

James 4:2b—You do not have, because you do not ask. (ESV)

Luke 18:1—Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. (NIV)

Temptation

Megan Breedlove 1 Comment

For awhile now, I’ve been on a diet, attempting to lose the last of the baby weight and return to my pre-pregnancy shape. And I’ve discovered something—that I’m not as easily able to resist certain types of temptation as I thought I was.

DoritosDoritos, for example. If they’re in the house, I will eat them. I may start with just one, but then there’ll be another one, and then a small bowlful. They don’t have that many calories, I tell myself. Besides, I’ll be really good the rest of the day.

It never works like that. Before I know it, I’ve consumed an unknown (but probably pretty high) quantity of nacho cheesy calories, and I still have half the day to go. During the rest of that day, I have not only to eat supper, but also to eat the rest of the Doritos I’ll probably eat.

In other words, I’m terrible at eating Doritos moderately. The only way for me not to eat way too many is not to eat that first one.

Realistically speaking, it doesn’t matter all that much whether I eat too many Doritos on occasion. But it does matter if I approach sin and temptation with the same attitude I approach Doritos. Let me explain.

God has told us to stay away from certain things—lust, greed, pride, and jealousy, to name just a few. If we stay far away from those things—if we refuse to allow ourselves to enjoy even a small portion of them—we’re fine. But if we think we can engage in “just a little bit” of gossip, or “not that much” greed, we’re making a dangerous mistake.

You see, just like eating Doritos (or whatever your favorite “forbidden” food is), partaking of a little bit of sin will lead to more. We speak a few words of gossip, and no lightning from heaven zaps us, so we figure gossip isn’t really all that bad. But the bad effects of it are building up in our system, not the least of which is causing us to want more.

Even with that first word of gossip, we’ve sinned and done something we shouldn’t do. Just because we don’t see immediate consequences doesn’t mean that we haven’t harmed ourselves. We’re already on the wrong side of the line.

Adam and Eve would have empathized with us. God had told them they could eat the fruit of every tree except one—one!—and they decided that one was just what they had to have. Look what happened. That “one” sin led to more and brought with it disastrous consequences, not only for them but for all mankind.

Don’t dabble in sin, my friends. You’ve been deceived by Satan if you think you can do “just a little” and then stop. You can’t. He’s far craftier than that, and you may be far weaker than you think. If you start allowing yourself to sin “just a little bit”, you’re going to do it more and more. And whether or not you see the consequences right then, you’re going to go to far. In fact, even with the first morsel of sin, you’ve already gone too far.

Is there some sin you’re dabbling with today? Is there something you’re engaging in and refusing to put to death in your life because it’s “not that bad”? You’re already walking on the wrong side of the line and don’t know it, for Scripture tells us that we can be sure our sin will find us out.

Get rid of your sin, whatever it is. Just like I can’t have Doritos in the house, get that favorite sin out of your spiritual house. Don’t leave even a single morsel of it around to tempt you.

Numbers 32:23—But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the LORD; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.

Finished

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Holy BibleTwo days ago, I finished the manuscript for my third book, Chaotic Joy: Finding Abundance in the Messiness of Motherhood. I still need to change some things before sending it to my editor, and then, of course, I’ll need to make any revisions she suggests. But the lion’s share of the work is done.

I’m relieved. Yes, I enjoyed writing the book, but I’m also glad to be finished. Now I can fine-tune the details and turn it into the best book it can be, one that God will hopefully use to touch the lives of thousands of women and lead them into a closer relationship to Himself.

And the thought occurs to me, as I sit here poised to go through the rest of the editing and finishing process with my book, that God has written a book too—and His was perfect just the way it was.

Now let me be clear about one thing: I am not comparing the worth of my book in any way to the worth of God’s Book—the Bible. But through calling me to author three books, God has taught me more about Himself as the ultimate Author. It’s this that I want to share with you.

You see, God wants the same thing I want for my book. He wants thousands (well, He wants billions) of people to read it, and He wants their lives to be changed. And to that end, He crafted the best Book He could, a Book so good it’s perfect. He did this by inspiring mere human beings to write the words that God knew would change lives, all over the world even two thousand years after they were written.

Some of you will eventually buy my book when it is released. That’s great. I presume you’ll read it, and I hope you’ll enjoy it and find it meaningful. But what’s even better is for you to own a copy of God’s Word and to read it—and not just once, but regularly.

His Book isn’t meant to be purchased and read once, then to sit on a shelf untouched. It’s designed to be read regularly and often. Even though you’ve read it before, it’s possible for you to find something new each time you read it, because the Holy Spirit can make it new in your heart.

Don’t think you have time to read it? Even the busiest mom has five minutes—or even two minutes—per day which she can spend reading the Book.

Don’t think it has anything new to teach you? I guarantee you’ll be surprised.

Doesn’t seem interesting? Then you haven’t read it for what it really is, a way to know God better. Theologian John R. W. Stott has said that “the Bible is God preaching”. In other words, when you read the words someone really wants to say, you’ll get to know that person better. It’s the same way with God. Read His words, and get to know Him better.

Once you get to know Him better, you’ll love Him more and more, because you’ll realize to a greater and greater extent how truly lovable He is. And once you come to know and love Him more—well, that’s when things really take off, spiritually speaking. How could you refuse benefits like that?

If you only read my book once, fine. But if you only read God’s Book once, you’re making a huge mistake.

2 Peter 1:21—For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (ESV)

2 Timothy 3:16—All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the [wo]man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (KJV)

Can’t Wait

Megan Breedlove No Comments

Cereal in a bowlEvery Friday night, we have a special custom at our house, one that all of us look forward to. Friday night is “Restaurant Night,” when the kids can have virtually whatever they want for supper (as long as it’s anywhere close to within reason, and as long as Mommy doesn’t have to cook it). Usually, the kids choose breakfast cereal because it’s easy for them to prepare and they enjoy it.

This past Friday, we were running low on cereal. I knew the kids would probably want to choose cereal that evening for supper, yet we were running out of options. So I made a trip to the store primarily for different kinds of cereal. Of course, being at the store, I found several other things we needed, and I came home with six or seven bags. I set them down in the kitchen and came to find my husband at the computer and let him know I was home.

Ellie and Kenny were standing right there. “Did you buy cereal?” Ellie asked as soon as she saw me.

“Yes, I did,” I said.

“I can’t wait to see what cereals you bought!” Kenny exclaimed, throwing his arms around me. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” He then ran off toward the kitchen to check.

And I thought, “You know, I bet that’s the attitude God would love for us to have with Him.” God wants us to have the same attitude of expectancy toward Him and the goodness of His gifts that Kenny had toward me. “I can’t wait to see what you’re going to give me, God! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Yet too often, we don’t expect much from Him. It’s true that God may or may not be planning on blessing us with material things, and that expecting those things doesn’t mean God has to give them to us. It’s also true that being greedy doesn’t get us anywhere with God—quite the opposite, in fact. But sometimes, He does give us material blessings. Besides that, he always gives us abundant spiritual blessings.

God, I can’t wait to see what you’re going to do in this situation. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

God, I can’t wait to see how you’re going to restore peace to my soul. Thank you!

God, I can’t wait to experience the joy I know you will bring from this situation. Thank you!

Precious mom, we can approach God expectantly, knowing we will receive something from Him. He’s already promised us every spiritual blessing (see Eph. 3:1). We know we’re going to receive. So we can look forward to whatever He’s promised, knowing that a good and perfect gift is coming our way.

True, we don’t get some things we ask for because they don’t fit in with God’s plan for our lives. But other times, we’re told in Scripture that we don’t have because we don’t ask, or that we ask wrongly. (See James 4:2.) So not only can we wait expectantly for God’s good and perfect gifts, but we can ask Him for what we need!

Are you waiting on God? Are you asking Him for anything? Why not try the same approach Kenny tried with me: “I can’t wait to see what you’re going to do, God. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

James 1:17—Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (NIV)

1 Corinthians 2:9—However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” (NIV)

Wish it Were Christmas

Megan Breedlove No Comments

Christmas StarThe sights: red and green; Christmas trees; sparkly gold; bustling shoppers; brightly-wrapped presents; children with eager faces.

The sounds: joyful carols; the oven door opening and shutting as you bake cookies; cheerful greetings; ripping tape from the tape dispenser so you can wrap gifts; excited voices.

The smells: cinnamon; gingerbread; pine; burning candles; crisp winter air.

The season: Christmas.

I love Christmas (can you tell?). I love everything about it. And I wish it were Christmas right now.

Instead, the days are still warm. Hot, even. The children have only been back in school for two weeks. I’ve only rounded up a couple of gifts.

But I wish it were Christmas now.

It’s not that I don’t enjoy summer and fall. I do. Each season has its own charm. I love the lazy days of summer and the brisk, cool days of fall. But I love Christmas more.

Three of the things I love most about Christmas are these: focusing on Jesus and His birth; getting to buy things for my family and friends and anticipating their delight when they open what I’ve purchased; and seeing everyone try to be just a little nicer at this special time of year.

As I sat thinking about these things I love, I realized something. True, Christmas is still three-and-a-half months away. But I can make it a little more like Christmas right now. All year round, actually.

The things I love most about Christmas can be created throughout the rest of the year as well. It’s not only at Christmas that I can focus on Jesus. I can make it a point to think about Him all year long. In fact, I not only can, but should. Why should my thoughts about how amazing it is that He came to earth be restricted to the month of December? Or why should it be only in December that I make it a point to think about Him? The answer, of course, is that it shouldn’t.

Neither should it be only in December that I try to do things for my family and friends that will delight them. This doesn’t mean that I always have to buy them things (though sometimes I might). But I can be purposeful in my efforts to surprise and delight my loved ones. Why should I think about giving them joy only in the month of December?

And being just a little nicer? Once again, something I can do all year long. It’s not only during Advent that I can be a little more patient, a little more generous, or a little more kind. Why not start now?

So it may not be Christmas yet, but it can be like Christmas. You see, that Child who was born more than 2,000 years ago made it possible for it to be Christmas in our hearts all the time—for our hearts to be filled with peace, love, joy, and generosity not just during one season but throughout the year.

Why wait for December 25th? Let it be Christmas now.

Luke 2:14—Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (KJV)

Mary and Jesus

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