Thankful: November 30th

Its the last post of Thankful November.

What should I say?

Oh I know...it leads up to tomorrow quite well.

my babies

I'm thankful to have small children at Christmas.

I will be the first to tell you its difficult because all too often they seem in the way.
Get back the oven is HOT!  
Stay out of the tree!  
NO THAT WILL BREAK!  

But I will also be the first to tell you it is oh so fun.
It is more than lists of things they want.
Its their eyes when they see Santa (that looks real).
It is that magical expression when they see the tree all lit up.
It is that starstruck gaze as you drive through and over priced light show (that's not changed in 20 years...)

Their positive little spirits fill your home with something Yankee Candle can never offer.

children in NYC

Children ARE Christmas.

The songs, the decorations, the excitement, the sugar rush.....its all for the children.

They know the beauty of the season.

While we stress over the calendar they are filled so immensely with the true light of Christmas.

The joy.

The excitement.

We worry over the gifts and they'd just be happy with the box.

We fret over outfits and they just want to play in their pajamas (with snowmen on them).

They freeze when they see the manger and they take it all in.

a baby in sweden

It's a Baby.

It's a Baby that the babies fall silent over - eyes wide, watching intently.

Unfortunately, I find that this mesmerizing of the Baby quickly fades to expensive presents and eye rolls over the idea of getting socks in their stocking.

It becomes a me centered human condition.

It becomes a heart break.

If we could just have those sweet years - early years - last a little longer - in all of us.

Maybe the world would be different.

Maybe those of us that are Christians would treat our days differently.

Perhaps, we wouldn't riot over what we see unjust.

Perhaps, we wouldn't have fist fights over television sets.

I wonder if we would judge a person's character on their car make and model or zip code.

Would there be so much hunger?  Or loneliness?  Or fear?  

If we kept our eyes delighted, calmly on a Baby just a little longer how would the world be different?

a baby in london

It begs your thoughts.

Cherish your little ones this holiday and take cues from them.