Worth the Effort

Nancy Wilson recently wrote:
May you all enjoy your post-Christmas celebrations. I know many of you keep going for the full twelve days. Learning to rejoice and celebrate is a real discipline that requires patience, stamina, practice, and endurance. So go for it! God must be pleased that we are making progress!
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So true! It is easy to want to skip out on things because it is just too much work. Celebrating takes time and effort...but it is worth it!

Another Thought on Christmas

Another great post for Christmas can be found here. Gotta run! Baby is crying :0)

But Still Celebrate in Grand Style!

Here is a good follow up post to the video I put up. It reminds us that even though there is a place for simplification, and we do need to remember the poor, there is also a place for extravagant celebrating! She even says this:
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I'm inclined to think, though, that some (not all) may embrace this “Advent conspiracy” stuff as a way to justify their own laziness and/or curmudgeonliness. To those folks I say: stop griping about the celebration and start celebrating! Put up an extra strand of lights. Give your kid a little trinket every day from Christmas through Epiphany (the twelve days of Christmas). Buy extra hot chocolate and marshmallows for the family to enjoy while you have your Advent devotionals and singing.*

* Believe me, believe me---I’m exhorting myself here as much as anyone else. I’m often ashamed at how much my dislike of mess and disorder and noise dictates what I do or, more often, don’t do, with my kids.
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Good point!

The Poor or Consumerism?

Even if you don't join this organization in their efforts, it would be wonderful if we all spent a bit of our money helping the poor during this season. Blessing our families during this time is wonderful! But, we could simplify a bit and help a lot.