Christmas at Its Best: Dedicated to My Awesome Family!

Have you ever stopped in the midst of all the worldly hustle and bustle of Christmas and just fully examined the things we do?  There are so many things in which we partake simply due to "tradition", "custom", our "culture", and "habit".  I have found when we stop and truly investigate the ideas behind, the necessity of, and the outcome of certain activities, we are grossly disgusted at how much is lacking in the true meaning of Christmas. 

My purpose in writing this blog post, however, is not to focus on what's lacking.  It is to focus on what is truly and fully and beautifully wrapped up in the love of Jesus Christ.  It's what we experienced with my family this year on Christmas Day.  Last year, we began a new tradition amongst the adults - my brothers, my sister-in-laws, my parents, and ourselves.  Rather than spending money on buying gifts for each person, we decided to pool all that money together and give it to a charity.  Time was spent researching where the money would be donated, and we were all very happy with the end result.  We all agreed that it was a phenomenal gift to each of us to have our family members give to those in need.  It felt like it honored what Christ had done for us.

This year we prepared to do the same.  Amongst illnesses, sicknesses, and adoption fundraising madness, we could not quite sit down together to select our charity.  My Dad had a quadruple bypass this year, my Momma had one knee replaced, and both my Mom and future sister-in-law found they have breast cancer.  Everything was so chaotic in everyone's lives.  We designated Christmas night as the night to finalize our decision, when we would all be gathered together.  In the background, however, a beautiful thing was happening.

What we discovered Christmas evening, orchestrated with a beautiful and loving testimony by my sister-in-law, Kennah, was that our entire family were all rallying for one another.  It turns out, everyone was trying to surprise everyone else with a donation!  Knowing our incredible adoption expenses and efforts to raise the funds, the family had initially (without Jon or I knowing) decided to donate to our adoption fund.  But my Mom and I had been discussing how expensive it is driving back and forth to doctors appointments, in addition to paying medical bills.  Because Jon and I were unaware of the adoption donation, we consorted with the other couples to surprise my brother and future sis-in-law, Bryan and Amy, by giving to their medical expenses.  Meanwhile, we determined with John and Kennah that we ought to help Mom and Dad with their medical costs, too!

In the end, all our gift money was divided into three, and we received an adoption donation, and Amy/Bryan and Mom/Dad received medical expense donations.  Everyone was moved to tears!!  It was so cool!!  We also said super sweet things to one another that were quite simply, awesome to hear!  I'm super sentimental and mushy, so this is a Christmas I will never forget!   :)