Christmas Archives - Page 2 of 6

How to Have a Birthday Party for Jesus

Our Christmas Tree I posted the above picture on my Facebook timeline and received many questions about the Birthday Bag for Jesus in front of the Christmas tree. At our house, that Birthday Bag is a reminder that we are celebrating the birthday of Jesus. Christmas is Jesus’ Birthday! Celebrate Click To Tweet A Christmas Party with Purpose Have a Purpose for Your Christmas Party Click To Tweet The tradition of celebrating Jesus’ birthday at Christmas started early in our marriage. Since our anniversary is December 19th (22 years this year!), it’s already a packed month for us, but we …

When Baby Jesus Goes Missing (And good news of great joy… for real)

I’ll never forget the year that baby Jesus disappeared. One day he was sleeping peacefully in that cute plastic stable, and the next day he was gone. Mary and Joseph were still lingering in Bethlehem and the shepherds were still hanging out with the sheep. But the baby in the manger was nowhere to be found. We hunted all over the house for that pudgy plastic babe. And we wondered how the synthetic star of our Fisher Price nativity set could have gone AWOL before we’d even lit our first Advent candle. We looked in the kitchen and in the toy box, under the Christmas …

Breaking Bread on Christmas

Eating with family and friends is such a great tradition and a huge part of what makes Christmas day so special. But did you know that breaking bread with others has a lot to do with Jesus? In Matthew 9:10 NIV, Jesus had dinner at Matthew’s house, “with many tax collectors and sinners …and his disciples.” He also ate with His disciples at the Last Supper. Jesus took the opportunity to eat and have conversations with both followers and sinners together. This gives us an opportunity to invite people over to our homes at Christmas who may not have anywhere else to go, …

When the Christmas Season Hurts

What happens when the Christmas season hurts? Usually just saying the word Christmas brings up a bounty of fun family memories – snow, family, the smell of a fresh cut tree and yet this year, for many people just the thought of the Christmas season brings tears to their eyes. What happens when the Christmas season hurts? Practical tips to make it through this Christmas. Click To Tweet It’s a powerful parallel, on one hand there are millions of people everywhere that are full of the Christmas spirit. You know who they are, they just can’t help themselves, they have …

How Not to Be a Scrooge This Christmas

And the winner of Amy Carroll’s new book, Breaking Up with Perfect AND a copy of The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree, is…. TERESA! Teresa, please email us at info@themominitiative.com and let us know where to send your books! AND…CONGRATULATIONS!!! Okay… so some of us struggle with being a bit of a SCROOGE this time of year. When the lines get long at Walmart or at the grocery store, it can be tough to hold your patience and keep your JESUS. So, for all you scrooges out there, here’s a few tips to keep you straight: 1. Take a deep breath and call on …

Pointing Our Children to Jesus This Season

God gave us the best gift in Jesus Christ. Sometimes I think we miss it. We miss the Gift. We miss Him, forgetting to point our children to Jesus. Rather, we get caught up in the gifts we want to give and get this year–the best one ever to fill up perceived needs. Commercialism has sold us a bill of goods that tells us we must give our children what they want, what they ask for or they will be scarred for life. Well, I can tell you truly. We have gone several years NOT getting them what they asked for, …

Did Jesus Have Nicknames?

Lovey. Sweetie. Little Bean. Bubs. I have so many nicknames for my kids, it’s a wonder they answer to their Christian names. Some parents get their children’s official monikers mixed up. I remember my mother tripping over her three choices when she was angry or in a rush. Robin—Becky—Sarah—whatever your name is! Get in here! Me? I even get my girls’ pet names confused. “How’s your breakfast, Sunshine?” “Mooooom!” my eldest scolded. “My sister is your Sunshine. I’m your Joy!” Which begs the question, is it time to ix-nay the nicknames? “For to us a child is born, to us …

How to Escape the Busyness of Christmas

Does anyone else feel like they are running the 500 yard dash to Christmas? From decorating the Christmas tree, addressing Christmas cards, buying and wrapping presents, making Christmas sweets, to attending festive Christmas parties, we jam in so much activity in such a short amount of time. We over eat, over extend, and over buy ourselves into a month-long race, only to end up at the finish line exhausted and wondering why we over-complicated a season that is meant to be rejoiced and savored. Christmas doesn’t have to be a race. #Christmas doesn’t have to be a race. @themominitiativ Click …

Christmas Traditions That Highlight Jesus’s Birth

We all have those tried and true family traditions that we do over the holidays. And those are great! But what if we added some traditions that focus more on Jesus’s birth and less on Santa Claus coming to town. Here’s a few ideas that you can try to get your family focused on the real reason for the season: 1. Read Matthew 1:18-25 on Christmas Eve or on Christmas morning. Read it out loud to your children so that they will better understand the story of His birth. 2. Go see a live nativity scene in your local area. Maybe your own church puts …

What is your SOUL Focus

My husband despises my mind. Well–its more like a love-loathe thing. That’s because I multi-task ALL THE TIME. We’ll go to the store and I tear the list in half, giving him half and I take the other half. My goal is to get it done as quickly as possible. But my husband’s goal is to relax, browse the lovely selection of grocery goods, and spend time together. I do that with everything. Doing one thing at a time is a luxury for birthdays and anniversaries…. Do women ever get to focus solely on one thing? NO–not when we have so much to …

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