We tried so hard to really emphasize Christmas as Jesus' birthday for Adi. Though she's just a 2 1/2 year old, I think our efforts payed off.
Christmas morning the bud on our ancient Christmas cactus given to us by Cam's great-grandmother was in full bloom. For days Adi and I have been watching the bud, gently stroking it and blessing it. When Adi saw it in full bloom she excitedly ran over to it and nestled in to admire it. Then she asked me, "did God make it?" and I replied, "yes, honey, God made it". I've been teaching her a bit about things made by God, and things made by humans. She decided that morning that I was wrong, or more certainly she was testing me as she responded to my affirmation, "No, I made it!" Ha ha. Little doodle :)
When we were finally ready to go downstairs to open presents Adi proclaimed that we were opening presents that God was sharing with us! I just loved having God and Jesus so present in our Christmas celebration. I don't think I had that as a child but it is so heart warming to hear Adi talk about them throughout the day. Now I just have to figure out how to teach her about the Holy Spirit!
After opening gifts, including one from our much down played version of Santa, we baked a birthday cake together as a family for Jesus. Adi loves to help in the kitchen in any way possible so it turned out to be a fun and tricky endeavor as we guarded the butter from tiny hands that like to snag a "taste" the size of a walnut and tried half-heartedly to keep her from eating the cake batter once the raw eggs were added (half-heartedly because I have a most likely false sense of security surrounding our free-range organic eggs...)
Hearing Adi tell family members that we baked a birthday cake for Jesus was a joy for me. They may have thought we were a tad weird or maybe going overboard, but I feel like putting Jesus first on His birthday is the only way for our family to celebrate.
Christmas morning the bud on our ancient Christmas cactus given to us by Cam's great-grandmother was in full bloom. For days Adi and I have been watching the bud, gently stroking it and blessing it. When Adi saw it in full bloom she excitedly ran over to it and nestled in to admire it. Then she asked me, "did God make it?" and I replied, "yes, honey, God made it". I've been teaching her a bit about things made by God, and things made by humans. She decided that morning that I was wrong, or more certainly she was testing me as she responded to my affirmation, "No, I made it!" Ha ha. Little doodle :)
When we were finally ready to go downstairs to open presents Adi proclaimed that we were opening presents that God was sharing with us! I just loved having God and Jesus so present in our Christmas celebration. I don't think I had that as a child but it is so heart warming to hear Adi talk about them throughout the day. Now I just have to figure out how to teach her about the Holy Spirit!
After opening gifts, including one from our much down played version of Santa, we baked a birthday cake together as a family for Jesus. Adi loves to help in the kitchen in any way possible so it turned out to be a fun and tricky endeavor as we guarded the butter from tiny hands that like to snag a "taste" the size of a walnut and tried half-heartedly to keep her from eating the cake batter once the raw eggs were added (half-heartedly because I have a most likely false sense of security surrounding our free-range organic eggs...)
Hearing Adi tell family members that we baked a birthday cake for Jesus was a joy for me. They may have thought we were a tad weird or maybe going overboard, but I feel like putting Jesus first on His birthday is the only way for our family to celebrate.
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