Maybe It's Time To Simplify Christmas

One of the conversations I had while I was recently with my brother was about his family's insistence to keep birthdays and holidays in perspective. He said that they actually purchase few gifts in comparison with so many others. What they focus on are family experiences. They actually practice what they say they value in keeping holidays, even Christmas, pretty simple and doing fun things together as a family. Wow, I always think of doing that but it seems I tend to cave in and buy things to avoid feeling cheap and stingy. Mind you, I don't buy things just to buy things, I always want to provide something that is wanted and hopefully needed in some way. But what if we all scaled back a bit on the stuff and spent more time doing some intentionally planned family event? I bet the memories would last longer than the stuff! Think about it, be brave and try it!

Here are three suggestions to apply it:

1. Focus on traditions rather than things.

When I look back on my fondest memories, they're always about the traditions we've enjoyed as a family. What would Thanksgiving be without turkey and dressing and pumpkin roll? What would Christmas be without the reading of the Christmas story, our tradition of making the kids wait until Mom and Dad are up before playing with or opening ANY presents, or driving around looking at the Christmas lights while sipping hot chocolate and playing Christmas carols on the radio? Christmas for my family is a time to celebrate being with each other, not celebrating the latest gadget, toy, or gizmo.

2. Do Christmas your way, not the marketers way.

Why let "a December to remember" cause you financial pain and stress for the next 60 or 72 months? The pressures that Madison Avenue places on people this time of year is something they should be ashamed of. There's absolutely nothing wrong with giving something far more valuable than things - give your time. Take some time to visit people who are shut in. Take some time to play with your children ... down on the floor. Teach someone what you know: cooking, playing the guitar, knitting a sweater, or painting a landscape. Invest your most precious asset - time - into those you love the most.

3. Create a new gift giving tradition.

Some people only give gifts that are hand made. The materials can be bought, but the finished gift must be hand made. Try it with ornaments if you're not ready to go "New Yankee Workshop" or try the Magi Christmas tradition: three gifts and three gifts only. There is a Victorian tradition that says each person should get "something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read.
Don't let the stress of the season ruin the meaning of the holidays.

Kara Brown May 9, 1988 - November 30, 2010

This past Tuesday, in the early morning, my niece, Kara Brown passed from this life into eternal life. My brother and his wife, have been battling this blood disease with Kara for the past three and one-half years. How they have managed to maintain their lives and keep strong relationships going with their other children and be healthy themselves is a testimony to how strong faith can be in times like this. Their commitment to fulfill Kara's wish to die at home was amazing. They took training (which after three and one-half years they already knew the drill) to administer medications to keep her as comfortable as possible and were not willing for others to care for her when they could themselves. Kara was never alone.
The Lord allowed JoLynn and me to arrive in time to see Kara, speak to her while she was still responsive. It was a privilege to be there and watch my brother care for her with such amazing tenderness and responsiveness. My esteem for him is even greater than it was before. It was simply amazing.
Through the week, it was such a blessing to have so many people send emails and flowers letting us know they were feeling the loss of Kara even though they had never met her. Bethel Church, the Assembly of God congregation in Chehalis was especially kind in offering the use of their wonderful facility and preparing a generous dinner for all the guests afterwards. This lifted a tremendous burden by the family not having to make these arrangements while they were making other necessary plans and with family members arriving.
The memorial service was such a great event, so many people came that the line for signing the guest book extended out the doors and around the building so far that they just took the guest book away and allowed people to come in and fill the sanctuary to capacity. Kara touched so many lives it is difficult to imagine without seeing all the doctors, nurses who came that gave her care, students from her high school that she mentored, church friends, community friends, work associates and all who took the time to come, some from other states just to be there to honor her memory.
In the end, the disease conquered Kara's body, but it never conquered her spirit. She remained funny, spunky and positive to the time where she could no longer respond. She was a fighter to the end.
Our great comfort in all of this is knowing she is with Jesus and no longer trapped in a body stricken with disease. She is on the "other side" with many of our friends and family members who have preceded us. It will make it all the more sweeter to see her again when our time comes.
One of her final quotes will stay with me a long time, "The only day wasted is a day not spent in serving the Lord."