More than dusty boxes...

Have you ever noticed how it's the little things in life that have such great significance attached?  It's the first of December, so of course I had to drag my 15 Christmas boxes down from the attic. As I started going through them, there were so many memories!  The box of Christmas mugs made me smile all over again when I remembered my daughter in law calling me the first year of her marriage to my son, and asking "Mom, what is it with Christmas mugs? Kurto says it's the first sign of Christmas!"  Of course that was a tradition we had of switching out our everyday mugs for Christmas ones, made easy by years of teaching and receiving at least one new mug each year!
Then there was Gamaliel, the bear whose paws had an envelope with $100.00 in it that we were given by "an angel" one year when we had NOTHING. That simple gift was God's reminder that He takes care of us. Within the week, we received over $1000.00 and had one of the best Christmas seasons ever - mostly because we were able to not only give the kids a great time but were able to share with others who had little or nothing!
And of course the ornaments - some were made by Mom and are especially meaningful to me now that she's gone. Some have memories of our kids' childhood days. Some have pictures or sayings with memories of trips or special events...you know what I mean because you probably have them too.
Because I am a heart person, and it's the journey not the end result, the simple task of decorating takes me hours and hours as I go from one memory to the next, and it all serves as a reminder to me that this season is not about the big things - the gifts, the parties, the fancy decorations or the frantic pace of activities surrounding those things. It's about family, and love, and creating memories that will always be there...long after the stress and the chaos are gone. They will last after the boxes are repacked and stored away. They will be in your heart after the expensive gifts are replaced by "the latest and greatest". They will comfort you when you're sad, make you smile when you feel you don't have a reason, and help you through the trying times.They will flood your heart with joy long after the kids are grown and gone - when your house is quieter than you wish it was and you need reminders of those hectic, happy days gone by!  So build memories! It doesn't matter how simple  -- start a special ornament collection, collect Christmas mugs, blast that Christmas music and relish the task of going through the boxes of things you've already accumulated. Let the kids help decorate, even if you have to go back later and move the ornaments higher than 3 feet off the floor. Grab the family and read "The Three Trees" (if you can get through it without crying). Find a copy of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" and watch it - so your family will remember what Christmas is all about!! Make a gingerbread house together...there are a million ways to do it, but Do It! Christmas is time for traditions and memories...if you have them already, take the time to enjoy and add to them. If you don't, start today!! You'll be so glad you did!