I was washing the dishes this morning looking out my window just reminiscing of our moments of setting up the Christmas tree last night. I wondered if we would continue this tradition as they continue to grow or would I be doing it all by myself at one point. I wondered if I was doing enough to make things memorable for them. But why would I be so concerned about that? I guess it all goes back to our own personal childhood memories.
I know that in my case if it wasn’t for my mom and grandmother I wouldn’t have any good Christmas memories. My dad didn’t believe in Santa and didn’t like to celebrate Christmas. He never really gave a reason. Probably because he didn’t want to spend money on Christmas. Maybe because his religion taught him that Christmas wasn’t the true birth of Christ or maybe because he just didn’t have Christmas as a kid. Who knows the truth? Maybe I’ll ask him now that I’m grown. Whatever the reasoning was, it wasn’t ever made as a big deal in our home unless my mom went out and did something about it against my dad’s wishes. I don’t remember ever having a Christmas tree until I was probably 15 or 16 and only have a few memories of gifts I received. (This is so gonna date me lol) The first real Christmas present I received was a walking doll called “Baby Come Back”. I was in heaven!!!! I took care of that thing like it was gold! Another Christmas I remember getting a nice jacket from my mom. Man, did I love it! I still remember how it felt to put on, the colors and how fluffy it was. One year we were invited to a family member’s house and they actually gave me a gift. I couldn’t believe it. I think it was the same year I got my jacket so I thought it was the best year ever! They gave me a box of underwear. What kid would have had a smile on their face with opening a pack of underwear for Christmas? ME!!!! LOL I can honestly remember the colors… they were all pastel, silky kid underwear. Oh man… It was awesome. The last gift I remember getting as a kid was a battery operated radio with headphones. It was the year I first met my half-sister. I remember taking her somewhere where she was going to be staying at while in Cali and just sitting in the car with my little blue radio tuning into Kost and just being so happy listening to beautiful Christmas songs. I had joy in living such a simple life. The simplest things made my day and they still do. It wasn’t that we didn’t have money growing up. We were doing well. As a matter of fact, my mom had her own beauty salon, my dad a carpet cleaning company and his regular job. We were never in need. I guess my dad just thought there were more important things in life to use his hard earned money on.
I think now how my kids have been able to enjoy life because both of our parents’ hard work (Mario’s fam. and my own). And I am thankful to them for that. Now my kids can enjoy the fruit of their parents and grand-parents labor. So now it’s my job to make sure that our kids don’t take for granted the blessings they are able to enjoy. That’s why we do things like the Random Acts of Kindness and teach them what Christmas is really about. I want them not to always be stretching out their hands to receive but also to give. What benefit would it be for them to always receive? None! It would actually be a disadvantage to them. I don’t want them to grow up to be bratty-demanding kids. I want them to have a giving heart, a sensitive heart, a compassionate heart, a heart that is mindful of those around them. I want them to enjoy the blessings God has mercifully allowed us to have but I also want them be able to share it with those who need it and even those who don’t deserve it.
I pray that God would hear this mother’s prayer: Give them a heart after your own and a discerning spirit that they might impart what you so lovingly have shared with them. Not our of obligation but of Love.
“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35)