Merry Christmas, From Our Family to Yours
This week on the farm…
It’s Amy here this week. The week before Christmas is always a marathon. I’m quite last minute with my Christmas shopping, but I bought/made the last presents yesterday, so today I plan to wrap. Gift giving is not my love language. It truly is difficult for me to decide what to get people and that makes Christmas stressful for me and turns me into the grinch if I’m not careful. We’ve been given so many unexpected and sweet gifts from friends this year and it’s been a great reminder that gifts are not about the “things”, but about the thought behind them. I’m working on being more thoughtful. Ha.
Monday the kids and I went to Knoxville to delivery meat. We are taking the week off of school. This has given us more time to read some great books and do Christmas crafts. We are typically hurrying through our weeks, but I’m really trying to be intentional about saying yes this week and not rushing the kids so much. We could all use a few days without a big to-do list.
Will put aside his big farm to-do list for a few days this week as well. He kept up with all the farm chores in the freezing cold but also spent more time hanging out with us around the house. I cleaned the cabins a couple of times this week. We’re thankful that they are continuing to stay booked.
Thursday, I made a haul to Bristol and Kingsport to delivery meat to families in those communities. We only see these families once a month, so it’s great to catch up with them.
Sunday night the kids were in the Christmas play at church. It’s so sweet to see that many kids participating in the Christmas story. As adults we need those reminders to refocus during this busy season and remember why we celebrate Christmas. I’ve been reading an Advent devotional during December (David Paul Tripps’ Come Let Us Adore Him). This is not a feel good, get you in the jolly spirit devotional. Tripp reminds us on each page of our need for a Savior. Christmas is both the best and worst news ever. The best news is that God came down in human form to live on earth and save us from our sins. The worst news is that this mission to save the world would lead this baby to the cross. Through his love for us and his desire for a relationship with us, God became flesh, humbled himself in the form of a baby, who would grow and submit himself to death. So that we may have life. And have it to the fullest.
We also read a children’s Christmas book this week that some church friends let us borrow, Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck. Reading this short story aloud to my kids brought me to tears (which is not easy to do). It’s not another nativity story, but it’s about a hardworking farm family whose teenage boy realizes that serving his father by doing the early morning chores alone would be the greatest gift he could give him. Because he surprises his dad by doing the chores in the middle of the night, the dad his able to join the family in opening gifts around the tree. The story is told as an older man reflecting back on his teenage self and the memories of his late father. It’s a reminder that small acts of kindness we do will not only serve the other person, but will impact us for years to come.
Enjoy this Christmas week. Look for ways to serve others. Be a light in a world that it looking for light. Give generously. Expect nothing in return. Soak up time with family and friends. Make Memories. Love. This is what I keep telling myself.
Have a great week and a Merry Christmas!
Amy