Share the Gift

Every Monday night we gather in the family room. We start with a song, a prayer, and to be honest a skirmish or two over who sits where or whose turn it is to pick the song. Last night, we watched the video He Is the Gift just released for this Christmas season.

After watching it, we talked about Christmas and what it truly means. Instead of talking about the fun stuff--as impractical as it is to wish for the moon and stars, as fun as it is to sit on Santa's lap, as exciting as it is to see the presents start accumulating under the tree--my kids explained to me the true meaning behind Christmas. They spoke of joy and hope and one tiny baby cradled gently in a mother's arms.

They may forget, but they do know. He is the Gift. The first Christmas gift, given by a loving Father to all of His children.

Evie passed out index cards, Micah found pencils, and each member privately wrote how they would share the gift of Christ with others this Christmas season. Six folded slips of paper are now cradled gently inside this ornament on our tree.

It's not the most beautiful ornament. It may not grab your attention with glitter, lights, or music. But this ornament will be the focus of our Christmas season. My greatest wish this year is to tone down the world and focus my family on Christ--His birth, His life, His Atonement. His Gift to each of us.

On Christmas Eve, we will open this ornament, reread what we wrote, and tell how we shared the Gift with others. I can't wait.

To all of you, may you experience the joy, the hope, the Gift of the season.

Merry Christmas.