Christmas Music Dance Party

The other evening, we had a Christmas Music Dance Party. The crazies and I turned on a mix of VeggieTales Christmas music and traditional holiday songs and danced to our hearts' content. Pander always seems to break dance, Fia uses the time to practice some of her ballet class moves (but throws in a few booty shakes for good measure!), and Noodle likes to run in circles around everyone else and call it dancing. But Moo, she is my special dancer. I use the term loosely, because much like her mother (yes, this is a confession) she thrashes and convulses and creates some of the weirdest dance combos I have ever seen. Actually, her dancing brings back memories of The Debi Dance and the lesser known Debi Dance 2000, as a reference point for those who are in the know. I can't help but laugh and join in when I see the 4 of them together, hearts filled with joy, feet filled with energy and eyes filled with excitement.
Right now, the joy of dancing for the crazies is 10 times more than any other time of year, because they are anticipating the celebration of the birth of Jesus. We have spent alot of time this year thinking about why we give each other gifts (in remembrance of the Magi's gifts to Jesus), how to share Jesus' love to others (through charitable donations and kind acts) and considering why Jesus was even born to begin with (the first step in salvation through the death of Jesus was the necessary birth into human form, a perfect man to bear the guilt of all mankind.) But today I want to share with you why we dance. In the Bible translation called The Message, Luke 2:8-14 reads:

"There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger."
At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises:
Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him."

This scene always gets to me. Angels announcing the birth of their Creator, their Lord, as a baby in lowly human form. They knew the sacrifice, what it meant for God to dwell among the humans, the favor, gift and blessing it was to have his presence among us. Such a joyful, blessed moment that at its annoucement, the host of heaven's angelic armies had to burst into joyful song. All I can picture in my mind's eye is a sky filled with musical celebration. And what goes better with a joyful musical celebration than joy-filled, praising dance?! We may not have the hosts of heaven here to sing for us, but the crazies and I celebrated the awe-inspiring, humbling, sacrificial birth of Jesus with the joy it was intended to have. And I believe Jesus and the angels appreciated our efforts, even Moo's joyful, unusual thrashing!
However you and your family celebrate the holiday, I just want to encourage you to find an outlet of pure joy knowing in that one moment the God of heaven, Creator of all, became God with us.
Merry Christmas!

Advent Activities

This year, I started a new tradition with the crazies. We have a homemade advent calander and have been doing small activities to celebrate and look forward to Christmas all month. Some of the activities are small winter fun things, like having hot cocoa for dessert or watching a Christmas movie with popcorn. Some of the activities are more holiday oriented, like going to see Christmas light displays and making ornaments. Others are charitable activities like making red kettle donations out of piggy banks, bringing winter clothes to donate at Goodwill, and buying a toy for Toys for Tots. And the last few are reminders of the true meaning of Christmas, reading Matthew chapter 1, Luke chapter 2, and a children's book about the birth of Christ. I really want my kids to know that Christmas is important because of Christ. I want them to realize that we only give each other gifts to remind us that the Magi brought gifts to Christ and that Christ is God's gift of salvation to the world. I am excited to see these things starting to make sense to them.
One day when we were leaving WallyWorld, Fia asked to put a quarter in the red kettle. After she dropped it in, the bell ringer said "Oh thank you, Santa saw you do a good thing!" Fia frowned at her and said "Santa isn't real." The woman insisted he was real, and Fia said "No, my parents give me gifts at Christmas to remember Jesus' birthday!" She tossed her hair and stomped away, irritated that the bell ringer was insisting on being wrong. As I followed her, the woman shot me a look and said "They'll resent you for that someday." I just smiled and wished her a Merry CHRIST-mas. I highly doubt my children will resent having an honest, open relationship with their mother, or learning about their Savior's birth! It was exciting to me that Fia stood her ground and didn't cave when confronted by an untruth. What a strong little girl. :)