He gave. She gave.

Unfolding a piece of paper, Grace began reading off a list of names. “Jaden, Michael, Jake, Brittany, and Jessie...”

“What are you doing honey?” I asked.

“Our school is selling candy-grams, for $1.00 I can send a message and have a candy cane delivered to someone’s home room.” She smiled.

I know all of Grace’s closest friends and had never heard these names before. At eleven-years-old, occasional babysitting jobs are her only form of income. Five dollars might very well clean out her piggy bank.

“Sweetheart, who are these children? Aren’t you getting one for Mackenzie?”

“I decided to do something different. Mackenzie is still one of my best friends, but she will get lots of candy grams. I decided to send them to kids in my school who might not get one.”

A lump began to form in my throat.

“Jaden is autistic. He sits by himself at lunch. Michael is really, really smart and gets made fun of by the popular kids. Jake is the boy I told you about at the library, the one who walks kind of funny, remember? He offered to give me his seat and girls walked by him and whispered, Jake-alert. Jake-alert. I could tell he felt bad. Kids encouraged Brittany to dance at lunch last week. She thought they were being nice, but they were really being mean. And, Jessie, well she is kind of chubby and sits by herself in class and doesn’t talk much.”

My child went on and on with her reasons for giving—I couldn’t help but whisper a prayer of thanks for my daughters’ heart. “What are you going to write in their message?” I asked.

“I’m not sure. I think I’m just going to write, Merry Christmas – God Loves You.”

“I’m sure they will love it.” I reached out and pulled her in for a hug.

God so loved the world that He gave. This Christmas season encourage your children to give anonymously. Lead by example and show them how it’s done.

• Drop off a plate of cookies on your neighbor’s front porch, ring their doorbell and run!

• Write out a Christmas card for someone and fill it with reasons why this person is loved by you. Don’t sign your name. Have your child address it and drop it in the mail.

• Take your child with you to the grocery store. Have them help you pick out food for someone you know is hurting financially. Let your child drop the bag off at the house.

Remember, we are loved by a God who gives lavishly. Let’s remember to touch the lives of someone in His name by giving.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given...Isaiah 9:6

For God so loved the world that He gave...John 3:16

Who can you give to this week?

I want to say YES.

Do everything in love.
1 Corinthians 16:14

Parenting is hard. Before I became a mom, I remember seeing other women with their babies, each time a-wishing- and -a- wanting I had one of my very own. My married girlfriends voiced my same desire, “Awwwww, I want a baby!” they chimed in unison. Never once do I recall any of us saying, “Awwwww, I want a teenager!”

That should have been my first clue.

Do you have teenagers? If you do, it's doubly hard. Are you tired? If you're doing it right you should be. Our son David is fifteen. We have already gone through the teen years with our oldest daughter Meghan -so begins Round Two.

David's grades aren't where they should be, or could be. He would much rather be socializing with friends, than working on his schoolwork. This child who grew up dazzling me with his impish grin and constant comic relief, is trying to win his teachers over with the same performance. Clearly, love makes a difference.

This Christmas his one and only gift request is for an Ipod Touch. He doesn't have a cellphone and craves the ability to text his friends like everyone else. This type of Ipod would give him that ability he says. And apparently, he is the only teenager in the western hemisphere who doesn't have one. We have never been parents who have been persuaded with the “Everyone has one.” argument. Though, he has given this line his best shot.

Because I'm a mom, I want to bless my son. I want to give him everything he desires. I want his Christmas morning to be magical and his joy to be off the charts. I want to give him an Ipod Touch. But, I just can't. If my son cannot take the time to study for a geometry test, why would I give him something that will distract him even more?

It reminds me of how the Lord often times says “No.” to me. If I was given everything I desired, what would my life look like? If the Lord granted all of my prayer requests at fifteen, I would be married to Shawn Cassidy, driving a red Pinto, and living in Disneyland.

Because the Lord loves us, there is no request granted or declined that hasn't first been sifted through His hands of love. Quite often, what we ask for we aren't ready for. And sometimes, just like our children, there is some work that needs to be done in us before we can handle the very thing we are praying for.

This Christmas, because I love my son, he won't be getting an Ipod Touch. This Christmas, I won't be saying YES. And, to be completely honest with you, on the morning of December 25th, I think I may be more disappointed than him.

Parenting is hard.

Lord, help me to remember that my child's wants and his needs are two very different things. Please give me the strength to make the tough decisions, the heart to love with each tough decision made, and the endurance to do it all over again tomorrow.

ADORENAMENTS

We try to do a morning devotion each day before the kids head off to school. At Grace's request, we are now doing these each morning as a countdown to Christmas. They are a product from Dennis Rainey's 'Family Life Today' organization. There are twelve different ornaments representing twelve different names used for Jesus. I have let the children each take a turn at reading the little devotion inside each ornament and sharing what it means to them. After reading, they get to place the ornament on our Christmas tree.

Our children still have the chocolate advent calendars every night after dinner, but this new family tradition I pray will become a lasting one. It has been such a blessing to bring Jesus front and center where He belongs this season.

**I checked and found out that they no longer sell these through 'Family Life' (they were a gift from Papa and Nana), and I couldn't find them on Ebay or Half.com either. Dagnabbitt!**

Do you have a traditional countdown to Christmas that you do with your family???