Girls To Grow

Nurturing moms in their walk with God

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Parenting
  • Stuff I Like
  • Ebook
  • Email Sign Up

Don’t Let the Kids Be the Only Ones Anticipating Christmas

December 19, 2018 by Tracey 5 Comments

Anticipation.

If you want a picture to go along with that word, I can’t think of one that’s more appropriate than that of kids waiting for Christmas to arrive.  

As a child, I remember my two younger brothers getting up VERY early on Christmas morning.  At some point they’d come into my room, so excited to go downstairs and wake up my parents so we could open gifts (and eat candy from our stockings for a little pre-breakfast sugar high!)

Take time to anticipate the wonder of Christ's birth this Christmas season.

As adults, I think we generally anticipate Christmas a little (or a lot?) less.  We face more responsibilities.  There are presents to buy, food to make, holiday events to attend, and Christmas parties to fit into an already busy schedule.

And while we’re never too old to get excited about gifts, Christmas becomes about a whole lot more.  We treasure the joy others get when they open presents we’ve chosen just for them.  Getting together and spending time with family becomes much more of a focus…though there’s still a lot of excitement about the candy and other good food!

All that to say that our anticipation level for Christmas can be fairly low at times.  But in these last few days before Christmas, I hope we can slow down and really anticipate what’s to come.  Let our whole focus not be the gifts or the food or the family celebrations as much as marking the significance of Christ’s birth.

I love the definition of anticipate from the Cambridge Dictionary.  It defines it as “to imagine or expect that something will happen, sometimes taking action in preparation for it.”

Thinking all the way back to the first Christmas, Joseph and Mary must have experienced incredible anticipation.  Many of us can identify with anticipating a child’s birth.  But what about a child that has been said to be the Messiah?  One whose birth was foretold to both Joseph and Mary by angels!  How exciting!!

Since long before then, though, God’s people had been waiting for a Savior.  God told Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:15 that the seed of the woman would bruise Satan’s heal.  From then on, the anticipation of God fulfilling His promise was a hope for all mankind.

And just as our God is always faithful, so He provided His Son as that seed.  The anticipation from the centuries before was brought to pass on a quiet night in Bethlehem.

In this last week before Christmas, let’s try to find a bit of the wonder and anticipation of the season.  This message is for me.  Me, with a few presents still to buy and wrap, a couple more parties to bake for, and a Christmas dinner to cook.  Let me not get so caught up in the last minute details and preparations that I forget to marvel in the glory of the greatest gift ever given.

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord….And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” ~Luke 2:10, 11, 13, 14

Thank you, Jesus, for coming to earth.  This was the initiation of God’s plan for my redemption, the redemption of the whole world.  Thank you, God, for the gift that was perfect and that only You could give.  

Sign up here for weekly blog updates!

Filed Under: Live, Worship

Comments

  1. Cris Watson says

    December 19, 2018 at 11:01 am

    Great thoughts, Tracey. Thank you for sharing. May you and your family have a Blessed Christmas.

    C

    Reply
    • Tracey says

      December 19, 2018 at 1:34 pm

      Wishing you and your family the same!!!

      Reply
  2. Nikki says

    December 19, 2018 at 5:20 pm

    Yes, it’s so hard to start feeling Christmas! I have found that a good Advent devotional can help.

    Reply
    • Tracey says

      December 20, 2018 at 11:24 am

      Since I started reading Ann Voskamp’s The Greatest Gift daily Advent devotional book a little early, I’ll actually be finished with it tomorrow! It really has been a help, though, in keeping my thoughts centered on the coming celebration of Jesus’ birth.

      Reply
  3. Sues says

    December 20, 2018 at 11:10 pm

    A lot of my Advent readings talking about anticipation have helped me get excited, too. Glad to add yours to my heart!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome! I'm Tracey, wife and mom to two teenage girls. I seek to help Christian moms raise children who know, love, and serve God by sharing Biblical wisdom, helpful tips, and practical advice. Read More…

Let’s Connect!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Top Posts

  • 10 "Don'ts" for Moms of Teenage Girls
  • A Letter to My Teenage Daughter: I Think One Day You'll Understand
  • A Letter to My Teenage Daughter: God Made You Special
  • 13 Things I Want My 13 Year-Old Daughter to Know
  • 10 Simple But Powerful Pieces of Life Advice for Teenagers (that work for their parents, too)

Search the blog

Privacy Policy

Click here for our privacy policy.

Copyright © 2023 · Lifestyle Pro Child Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in