The Greatest Gift

At this time of year, it is so easy for Lauren to become focused on getting presents. Her wishlist grows every time we step foot in a store or watch a commercial on television. It has been my challenge and my goal to emphasize the "true meaning of Christmas" to her young heart, and the response has been interesting. She has asked wonderful questions like, "What is sin?" and "Why was Jesus born?" She has definitely learned the Christian "lingo" as she prayed tonight, "Thank you, God, for sending your only Son, Jesus, to save us." There is still a long way to go in helping her understand God and faith. (Heck, I still have a long way to go in understanding these things!) But I'm thankful that this holiday season can mean more than just gifts, and opens the door to so many wonderful conversations with this beautiful child of God.
I found an article today with a great list of things we can aspire to as Christian parents. This is the type of home I hope we are creating for Lauren and Jonathan:

*Let there be much spontaneous celebration verbally of every hopeful sign of life and goodness in our children.
*Let us forgive them often and be longsuffering.
*Let us serve them and not use them.
*Let us lavish them with joyful participation in their interests.
*Let us model for them the joy of knowing and submitting to the Lord Jesus.
*Let us apologize often when we fall short of our own Father’s requirements.
*Let us pray for them without ceasing.
*Let us saturate them with the word of God from the moment they are in the womb (the uterus is not sound proof).
*Let us involve them in happy ministry experiences and show them it is more blessed to give than to receive.
*Let them see us sing to the King.
*Let us teach them relentlessly the meaning of the gospel in the hope that God will open their eyes and make them alive. It happens through the gospel (1 Peter 1:22-25).
For those of you with young kids, I pray this Christmas season gives you opportunities to share about your faith with your children.