Christmas 2011

This year's Christmas flew by like the past few year's celebrations! I was so thankful that Christmas fell on a Sunday and we were able to spend the 11 0'clock hour with our church family praising God for sending his son to die for us. The pastor preached on the reason we celebrate Jesus' birth and illustrated it well. What a life Jesus led, He was born to die. The baby's hands that Mary held were made to have nails driven in them; the head that Mary kissed were made to have a crown of thorns laid on it; the body that she held was made to be beaten and tortured....the same one that on the third day after his crucifixion rose! Thank you Jesus for beating death by death and for taking the punishment for my filthy sin. Thank you for dying for me!
Christmas Eve night Leah and I had 'the' talk about Santa. I struggle, and have for a long time, with my children's belief in Santa. Leah has always been terrified with the thought of a big man coming into her house while she is sleeping, even if it was to bring her a boat-load of presents. I was so sad to watch her be fearful - she was under my heels all day, had woken up several times during the past weeks with nightmares, etc. - that I decided to let her in on the news - Santa is not real. She took it well and the talk actually turned out to be a very precious moment for us. After hearing the news, she claimed that she kind of already knew that Santa was one of those 'methods' (myths). She had also wondered how he came through the chimeny because we do not believe in magic. She asked me who bought their IPods last year and when I told her that her dad and I did, she said, "Is that how you lost your money?". Very sweet. I then had to know if by telling her I had let her down on Christmas Eve. She said "no" and that she felt better. I hope so!
Not sure if Cecilia still believes. She told me she doesn't believe in the tooth fairy or the Easter bunny but still believes in Santa. She also said that a lot of kids in her class do not believe in Santa anymore. As much as I struggle with believing in these fictional characters, somehow it feels sad to me that this is the last year that either will believe. Strange, huh? I think it is just the reality that my children are growing up so quickly.