The excitement is building in GGHQ … Christmas has well and truly arrived. I love this time of year, I love how excited the boys get each year and I love how, over the years, we have developed our own wee traditions that they look for.
There are three advent calendars to be opened this year. There is the basket of goodies each day (although there has already been confusion when someone opened Day 13 instead of Day 3) which has something for each of us each day. There is the obligatory Santa advent calendar which tells us something to do each day (some days it’s watch a movie, or a Christmas light hunt around the area, or a Christmas scavenger hunt). Then lastly, my favourite, bits of tinsel hung over the door with numbered envelopes attached to it … each envelope contains verses from the Bible relating to the birth of Jesus … helping us remember what we, as a Christian family, are really celebrating at Christmas.
So, the downstairs of GGHQ has been well and truly Christmassed … there are scented candles, fairy lights, decorations, tinsel … the tree was decorated by the boys on Saturday and, so far, I’m doing well in resisting the urge to re-position any of the ornaments. Each day something else appears … to be fair, I’m not quite sure who the child is here as I get as much enjoyment from this as the boys do.
A couple of weeks ago we had a wee flurry of snow which was exciting and resulted in lots of chat about sledging and whether the sledge will last another year. I know lots of people are hoping we don’t get snow but, quite honestly, I’m really, really hoping we do … lots of it … lots of fun, sledgeable snow … just like this …
So, Day 37 of the Love Dare for Parents is entitled ‘Love fulfils dreams’ and uses 2 Corinthians 12:15 as its focus:
So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well.
The book talks about how God loves us with extravagance. I love that thought. It’s something I know but is it something I ever really think about? I know so well the words of John 3:16 but I wonder how often I take time to sit and really think about the extravagance of the gift God has given us, and as Christmas approaches it’s even more apt for me to think about the gift we’ve been given … as Christians we celebrate the birth of Jesus at this time of year … BUT, for me … how can I ever truly comprehend the absolute magnificence of the gift that I’ve been given … me … little me … pretty insignificant me … able to call myself a Child of the Living God. I don’t really think there’s anything better than that!
The dare for today is to begin making plans to spend time or money on a gift that would overwhelm my children. Again, very appropriate for this time of year, don’t you think! I particularly like that the plans are to spend time or money … time … so often it can be easy to substitute time with money … spend money on things rather than spending time with the children we have around us. For the GG clan, time is important … family time … making memories. Like most families, we don’t have an infinite supply of money to throw around making extravagant gestures (although, Mr GG, if you’re reading this … a Land Rover or some chickens or a couple of sheep would just about cover it).
Anyway, I’m digressing … back to the Junior GGs and the Love Dare. To be fair, a pretty massive, life-changing plan is already under way here at GGHQ … some of our close friends know about it, many folks don’t … all I’d say now is keep watching this space and as soon as possible all will be revealed.
And, now, back to Christmas decorating …
The ramblings of gingergnome 