3rd Day of Christmas Giveaways with Summer Saldana
Welcome to the 3rd Day of Christmas Giveaways!!!
Tweet ThisSummer is giving away a Gratitude Journal and will be sharing how she is keeping it intentional this Christmas season. Summer is one of those women who certainly isn’t trying to hide anything — except maybe what is behind her beloved bangs.
She is refreshingly open about her mommy meltdowns (she has 2 children, but one is strong willed, so it’s more like 4), her faith, and her obsession with thrift store shopping and makeup/skincare hauls.But whether it’s through writing, speaking, or sharing her health, beauty and fashion tips on YouTube, Summer’s greatest passion & hope is that through these bonds of beauty, deeper connections and friendships are created! Connect with Summer Saldana on her Blog or on You Tube.
To join in on the fun and be entered to win this prize, simply leave a comment on the post answering the question of the day. ALSO—one grand prize will be given to one person who comments on all 12 days.
The Grand Prize is a $50 gift certificate to Proverbs 31 Ministries store and a $50 gift certificate to Amazon.com!!!
Now, here is Summer to offer you today’s post…
Season of Intentionality
My Favorite Christmas Tradition…has become more about a change within our hearts, than it has been about a change in our activities.
Recently my pastor preached through the beginning of John 12, specifically on the moment between Jesus & Mary, when she took a pound of expensive ointment, and used every last drop to wash the feet of Jesus with her own hair. All throughout the message, he stressed to us that it wasn’t the gift, or the cost or even her welfare that was the point, rather it was her focus…her aim…her intention… And Mary’s was simply to worship and serve the Lord she loved.
He ended the message with the reminder that in all things our focus, our goal, our aim…must be one of worship, intentional worship with all of our heart, mind and strength.
Of course this biblical truth applies to our lives in all times and all seasons, but it was especially meaningful to me during this Christmas season as well.
One Christmas, long ago (okay, only a few years, but still…), we missed the meaning…we missed the purpose. We got caught up in the plans and the bustle and the shopping and the spending and the need, want, must buy nows!!! And we realized one Christmas morning, when we had proudly accomplished giving our children what we believed was, “THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!!!”….that maybe more was not necessarily better. Our children were unsatisfied and left with a feeling of want, even when there were piles and piles of gifts and wrapping paper surrounding them.
We knew in that moment that we needed to refocus the Season on what really matters.
The first change we implemented was to adopt a new tradition. Rather than spending on an abundance of gifts, we purchased only four per child…
“Something you want,
something you need,
something to wear,
and something to read.”
Each year they get one affordable gift per category, nothing more, and never have I seen my babies more satisfied and content.
With this change and many others, Christmas has become to our family not a season of getting, but a season of intentionality.
It’s a sweet precious time to slow down, take notice of those around us, serve, give, love and spend time with the ones God has blessed our lives with. We try not to focus so much on our needs or wants, but instead remember that we get a whole month specifically dedicated to reminding us of the Ultimate One we worship and serve.
And so, I would love to encourage you all to take what often becomes a season of need, greed and busy, and instead start a new tradition of making it a season of intentionality and worship.
Whatever you do, whatever you give, whatever you say, whatever you fill your time with….remember the aim, the goal, the purpose….is worship to our King.
“The aim of our welfare should be worship, not welfare.”
-Pastor Matt Smith
What new traditions can you guys start this season or even in your daily life to bring about more of a heart of worship in your own family? Share your ideas below! A winner will be selected from the comments.
Today’s Giveaway:
As a way to cultivate a heart of thankfulness, intentionality and worship, Summer will be generously giving away this beautiful Gratitude Journal by Catherine Price.
***All the winners will be announced Tuesday, December 22.***
Every year Christmas is made out to be commercial and all about me, me, me!!!! In recent years i have slowly gotten away from that mentality and tried to teach my children the true meaning of Christmas. This year will be my first year in 19 years i will not be able to celebrate the holidays with my son. Unfortunately due to some of his bad decisions, we will have many more without him to come…..it has been the hardest thing to deal with and still being grateful for what i still do have. To me the true meaning of Christmas is first Jesus Christ and second, family means everything!!!! Forget presents, if you do not have your family to be there with you….it is all for nothing!! I wish each and every person a very Merry Christmas…..hugs those that are around you, you never know when they might not be there to hug.
I think daily reading from the Bible the Christmas story would be a good new tradition.
It gets you thinking about why we celebrate in the first place!! :-)
Giving myself grace to not have it all perfect for the holidays.
We have started donating to a local “angel tree” for senior citizens. Also we simply the gifts using the model mentioned in this article. Thank you for this devotion.
We always take the kids to choose gifts and toys for those less fortunate. Then on Christmas, we like to imagine the recipients opening those gifts and enjoying them.
giving more of my self to others.Taking time to thank those that have invested in my kife.
I am having the kids make a gift for their grandparents and for us. It is important to me that they use their time and effort towards someone else, not just their finances.
This year we are buying Uzima water filters from Start with One Kenya instead of Christmas gifts. Well, we are doing a simple white elephant style gift exchange, but primarily our family isn’t focusing on spending time shopping for family, rather the focus is spending TIME with family.
We are going to start going to Christmas Eve Service as an entire extended family. We have all agreed to make this a priority.
I would love to start a cookie swap with our younger girls and older women at church. We have so much to learn from each other What a good way to get to know each other
We are going to start giving of our time more. I have my daughter to thank for this. She is a teen volunteering at the children’s summer reading program and it has inspired me an my son to give more of our time to something worthwhile like this.
I would like to somehow treat the entire year as an advent calendar. Is that even possible? Being grateful in every moment, being observant and cherishing time, serving and respecting and loving who and what we have in our lives. Serving Christ daily. Living His life meant for me on earth.
We are going to buy presents for an area children’s hospital. My 3 children will get to select the gifts we purchase. They are pretty excited to do this. I hope they will begin to look for ways to give to others and not just at Christmas.
I think, for me and my family, I have been trying to commit to more acts of service in November and December. Since it is such a busy time of year, I thought if we focused on helping others, it would encourage them and fill our hearts more than material things ever could. My hubby and I have not really ever over-bought for our two daughters, but I think I’m liking the 3 gifts idea ~ you know… symbolizing the gifts the three kings gave baby Jesus ~ Frankincense, Myrrh and Gold. I think narrowing the focus for me keeps it much more meaningful.
We are focusing more on time instead of gifts. SLOWING DOWN and enjoying the real reason for this season.
Give more hugs and say more uplifting words to others. We try in our family to give to someone in need.
I think just verbalize more what we are grateful for daily. I need to model this more during daily life.
I am seeing get so many great ideas. I want to start doing the 4 gifts. And then with some extra money let my kids buy a gift for someone in need. We are going to start making our own ornaments too. I like doing more of the activities and learning what christmas is all about over so many gifts. Thanks for all your great ideas. Love reading the posts everyday.
We are thinking about starting the 3 present tradition, and also letting our daughter choose an angel off the angel tree or make a shoebox for toys for tots. We are wanting to bring her up to know Jesus is the reason for the season, and that giving is SOOO much better than receiving. We are still looking for new traditions to start with her early on (she is one) so that she grows to want to do things for others.
We have decided to also give just 4 gifts this year. And having been doing a Jesse tree along with Ann Voskamp’s The Greatest Gift.
I want to start at the beginning of the year a Blessings Jar. By Christmas next year, we can go back and look at the year’s Blessings.
We have gift sign up sheets at work for wishes of families on need.
For the past two years I’ve given to toys for tots. I’ve always wanted to do this. I love seeing children happy.
I would like to spend more quiet time consistently with the Lord, in His word and prayer. It fills me up and helps me in the midst of raising young kids.
I appreciate our Christmas Eve service at our church. It is a quiet, reflective service, with candle light. Christmas Eve day is usually pretty busy. I enjoy sitting and resting during the service and being pointed to the ultimate rest we have in Jesus.
Be more faithful and intentional in my daily time with God and pray before I speak…..especially with my kids and husband!