1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We are so 2 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 1: thankful to have you listening with us here today. Today's 3 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:21,799 Speaker 1: topic is what do you emphasize on Christmas Morning? We 4 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: will return after a brief message from our sponsor. Emphasizing 5 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:42,639 Speaker 1: Christ on Christmas Morning written by Peyton Garland read by 6 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: Rochelle Alberti Bible Reading. When they saw the star, they 7 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 1: were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the 8 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: child with his mother and Mary, and they bowed down 9 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:57,240 Speaker 1: and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented 10 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: him with gifts of gold. Frankinsense and I'm Matthew two 11 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:07,399 Speaker 1: ten through eleven n ib. If we're honest, most of 12 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,320 Speaker 1: us will admit that once Christmas Morning arrives, we are 13 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: utterly exhausted. Whether we are parents who stayed up all 14 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:18,120 Speaker 1: night putting together toys with hundreds of tiny pieces, we've 15 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:21,480 Speaker 1: spent the weeks scrambling for last minute gifts, or we 16 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: are entertaining guests over the holiday, we have pushed our 17 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:28,680 Speaker 1: bodies to the limit. They quickly tell on us, eyes, 18 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 1: heavy mind, screaming for coffee, slippers dragging before amid this 19 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:39,399 Speaker 1: busy season, how can we sure that Christ remains the 20 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:43,960 Speaker 1: center of Christmas Morning, bringing us peace, joy and hopeful 21 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: energy far superior to our dark roast brew How can 22 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 1: we approach Christmas time so we enjoy all the festive 23 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 1: traditions yet keep the manger the main thing? Thankfully, the 24 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: answer isn't the deep secret. It is what most of 25 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 1: us do well, almost too well this time of year, planning, conscientious, 26 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 1: motivated planning, no doubt. We go to great detail to 27 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:14,919 Speaker 1: collaborate with friends concerning the annual Taxi Christmas Sweater party. 28 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 1: We ensure that we pack and donate at least one 29 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 1: Operation Christmas childbox per family member. We attend our little 30 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 1: niece's nutcracker performance, a bouquet at festive roses in hand. 31 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: We manage to balance all of the holidays hustle and 32 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:36,239 Speaker 1: bustle because we hold ourselves accountable to what we value most, 33 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 1: value Christ above all us this Christmas morning, by grabbing 34 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:44,959 Speaker 1: a calendar and listing out exactly how your family will 35 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: engage and holiday celebrations centered on Jesus, invite your family 36 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:52,920 Speaker 1: to sit down with you and toss around ideas for 37 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 1: which celebratory traditions sound best for both the children and 38 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 1: adults if you're creative. Ideas include gathering at the dining 39 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 1: room table to relive too before opening presents, or eating 40 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: Christmas breakfast in brunch, playing Christmas hymns in the background 41 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: as everyone eats breakfast. Adding a Happy Birthday Jesus cake 42 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,680 Speaker 1: to the breakfast menu, letting everyone seeing happy Birthday to 43 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: the greatest birthday boy in history. I know a family 44 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 1: who doesn't each Christmas, and their four children love it. 45 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: Before opening gifts, have everyone take turns sharing why Jesus 46 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: remains the greatest gift in their heart and life. Placing 47 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 1: an activity scene at the foot of the Christmas tree 48 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: before eating breakfast or opening gifts. Placing an activity scene 49 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 1: at the foot of the Christmas tree is an old 50 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: Catholic tradition that will learn from my husband's family, and 51 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 1: though my husband's son and I are non denominational, it 52 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 1: is a dear tradition we honor each year. If Santa 53 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:58,119 Speaker 1: visits her children, have Santa write a note to them 54 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: celebrating the ways they have grown and character that year, 55 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: while sharing that he too knows that Christ is most 56 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 1: important on Christmas Day. Remember little heart that lean into magic, 57 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: will lean into miracles. So don't cut the miracles short. 58 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 1: I pray these ideas spark creativity as you pray about 59 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 1: and consider the Holy Spirit's leading in how to best 60 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:23,799 Speaker 1: honor and praise Jesus on Christmas morning. But I also 61 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 1: pray that you recognize that honoring Jesus on Christmas morning 62 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 1: might mean you must reprioritize other things. Perhaps extended family 63 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:36,159 Speaker 1: members who typically join you for a casual Christmas breakfast 64 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:39,359 Speaker 1: at nine can come over for Christmas Brunch at eleven, 65 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 1: so your family has a quiet time of worship beforehand. However, 66 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 1: if they are interested in joining your happy Birthday Jesus celebration, 67 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 1: they can come over whenever is best for your family bondus. 68 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 1: This is a great opportunity to love on your family 69 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:59,600 Speaker 1: members who aren't believers. If your kidters are accustomed to 70 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: starting Christmas morning by seeing what Santa broad, I encourage 71 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:05,919 Speaker 1: you not to take away from that joy, but to 72 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:09,799 Speaker 1: reposition it. Explain to them ahead of time that Christmas 73 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: is about Jesus. We will celebrate him first, then see 74 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 1: what Santa bron. Having this conversation in advance allows little 75 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: hearts to anticipate a schedule change. This gives them room 76 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 1: to ask questions to better understand the purpose behind the 77 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 1: new tradition. These new shifts might be uncomfortable or make 78 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 1: little ones a bit fussy at first, but remember the 79 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 1: Gospel had uncomfortable beginnings, as a teenage girl gave birth 80 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 1: among cattle, and the Savior of the world was placed 81 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: in a trough of prickly hate. May we truly adore 82 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 1: him as we sacrifice our schedules to put him first. 83 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 1: This Christmas intersecting faith in life. Even after Christmas has passed, 84 00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: sit down with your failure to discuss ways to continue 85 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 1: keeping Christ at the center of your days. Consider a 86 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: daily family devotional or prayer tile allow the children to 87 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:14,719 Speaker 1: include their own ideas. Further reading when creating Christmas memories 88 00:06:14,839 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 1: costs your sanity Psalm one hundred and forty five four. 89 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 1: The Crosswalk Devotional is a production of Life Audio and 90 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:31,919 Speaker 1: Salem Media. If you liked what you heard today, please 91 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:34,359 Speaker 1: take a second to rate and review this podcast in 92 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:37,840 Speaker 1: your favorite podcast app so that more listeners like you 93 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 1: can find the show. For more faith filled inspirational podcasts, 94 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 1: visit us at lifeaudio dot com.