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In the sweltering of July, my mother finds her candles on sale at Hobby Lobby. She is always excited to find three purple and one pink. She can’t wait to call me and ask if I want her to purchase some for me as well. She is thoughtful and generous.

Why is she so happy about unusual colored candles? Because she uses them for her Advent Wreath in December. There is something touching and beautiful about her excitement as she considers celebrating the shocking miracle of the day that Christ came in the flesh to redeem His people.

I love this tradition too, although I never remember the reasons for the different colors. On the four Sundays that precede Christmas, Gabriel, myself, my mother and my father gather in a circle. My mother lights the candle, and then each candle progressively as the weeks continue. The first one will be a stump by the time Christmas arrives.

My father has a book of Scripture and prayer that we take turns reading. We start with the centuries old call of Isaiah and lead into the unbelievable fulfillment of them. No one could have written this story – it’s so perfect and so unimaginable. It is a time to ponder and marvel in anticipation.

We are reminded of our black, our shadows, our red-guilt. We are reminded of His purity, His Light, His red-blood that has cancelled our debt. We wonder, “What was it like for Mary? For Joseph? What about the shepherds?” We read of their fear, their confusion, and their obedience. We discuss the ramifications of their courage and faith.

Sometimes, I weep in our little circle. Quietly, and I don’t think they see it. But to watch my Dad, my Mom, and my son all together in prayer in worship is overwhelming.

It is a gift that I can’t fully express – I know our histories, our struggles, and how God has rescued us and reconciled us. First to Him, and now to each other. Our family has been rocked by death, by disease, by pain and hurt, and yet God’s mercy has enveloped us. It is good to gather and worship together. So good.

Maybe this is why my mother gets so excited in July when she finds those candles?   

With traditions, too often the “form” outlasts the “reason” behind it. Gift giving at Christmas originated as a way of remembering the presents given to Jesus by the Wise Men and more importantly God’s gift to man in Jesus Christ:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” ~John 3:16

By the way, did you know the biblical background of gift-giving? I had to search out the reason!

How often are we motivated to give because it is expected or we suspect someone is getting us a present?

Form becoming separate from reason can be a big problem as the Jews learned. In the Law, God had established a variety of traditional acts such as sacrifices and festivals, each with the intention to point people back to God’s blessings, to remind them of God’s way for them to live their life and to stimulate worship.

While the Jews maintained the outward form, the heart that it was intended to stimulate was dead.

In fact God condemned their actions:

“Stop bringing meaningless offerings,

Your incense is detestable to me.

New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—

I cannot bear your evil assemblies.

Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts My soul hates

They have become a burden to me;

I am wary of bearing them.” Isaiah 1:14-15

We must remain cognizant of why we celebrate traditions so that they are not routine but instead a form of worship.

In our family there are very few immutable traditions, save one. The one constant has been the gathering of our family for the Christmas Holiday. While the reason, connecting with family, has remained constant, the form, how we gather, has seen significant change over the years.

Initially Penny and I had to work out the balance of time between our extended families, Christmas Eve with her side and Christmas morning with mine. As time progressed we saw changes to the family as siblings added spouses, children soon followed, and now we are beginning to experience the loss of parents. All along the way compromises to form have been necessary to address changing family needs and schedules. But the reason, connecting with family, has always remained the same.

The most significant change happened just a few years ago when we decided it was time to begin celebrating Christmas at our home in the East Mountains rather than traveling to Texas as we had done for 29 straight years. This was prompted by our boys starting families of their own.

This is not to say that form is not also important, just ask Nadab and Abihu who offered unauthorized fire before the Lord (LV 10:1-2) or Uzzah when he reached out to steady the ark of God (II Sam 6:6-7).

Really connecting with family over the holidays takes more than just time and proximity—form matters.  

We have found that some years are a homerun and others are something less; which seems to hinge on the form of our time together. Hurt feelings over unappreciated gifts or meals can detract from success while a simple game of chicken-foot where everyone turns off the TV and phones and laughs and interacts for 2-3 hours can really make the connection happen.

Tradition can enrich the Holiday Season or it can also introduce real challenges. Before you let traditions detract from your festivities stop and ask yourself:

1. What is the reason behind this tradition and thus is it worth fighting to maintain?
2. Is the form important or would it be appropriate to try something new?

Whether you are initiating new traditions or following those that are tried-and-true remember to keep Christ at the center of your Christmas Season.

A deep breath of cool, crisp autumn air.

Thanks, Lord.

A breath of air is such a little thing, a very small detail of life indeed. Something I take for granted about 18,000 times a day, but couldn’t survive without!

Comparing a custom built home to a tract house in an episode of "This Old House", master craftsman Tommy Silva said, "The difference is in the details, it's a sure sign of craftsmanship." If you want to build a quality house you have to pay attention to the little things and get those right. That's true in our lives as well.

Jesus told a parable about little things in Matthew 25. A man entrusted some money to several of his servants and went away. The servants were expected to provide the master with a return on his investment. To those who were good stewards, the master said, "Well done... you've been faithful with a few things; now I will put you in charge of many things."

One of the principles we can draw from this is: take care of the little things and you'll be able to handle the big ones. It's not much of a stretch to apply this to thanksgiving. Are you grateful for each breath, do you recognize each gift as though it is from the Master Craftsman’s hand?

I find it hard to be truly thankful for the big things in life when I'm not genuinely grateful for the little things.

I also don't want to confuse politeness with giving thanks to God. Our culture dictates that we say 'please' and 'thank you' a lot, and sometimes we may even mean it! Too often it is an auto response, devoid of any real meaning.

Boy, I don't want to approach God that way, even on one of those little things.

So how do we keep a thankful perspective, especially during the holiday season?

It’s all too easy to focus solely on the 'big' things; or on the contrary, to concentrate completely on the details and get way down in the weeds.

Pray for balance this year, for the ability to see the forest AND appreciate that without the detail of each branch on every tree there would be no beautiful forest. 

Join me in expressing heartfelt gratitude to God across the spectrum of life; for each breath of that fragrant fall air, for a master craftsman who pays attention to each detail, to the wonderful incarnation of God coming to Earth to save a bunch of sinners like you and me.

Thanks, Lord!

As a family with young kids, we constantly strive to instill thankfulness, throughout the year but specifically around Thanksgiving.

The good news for you, and my family, is that I married a brilliant lady, a teacher by trade and fun person by lifestyle. Years ago she found the book, “Thanksgiving, A Time to Remember”, and set up a lesson plan around it.  Each night of Thanksgiving week, we read a section, followed by acting it out.  The lesson finishes on Thanksgiving, with a final reading and an activity centered on thankfulness, or gratitude.

This great book teaches about the history of the settlers, their faith, and their rocky start with the native people. It is even arranged for different age groups, so you can read/teach older kids or younger or both. The book ends with a Thanksgiving feast, food of all kinds and types; breads, vegetables, meat and desserts! 

The gratitude activity is actually based on remembering the year before; the faith to succeed and the scarcity of resources. 

Food was so scarce the year before, that in order to make it through the cold winter, settlers were each rationed a few kernels of corn daily. Daily. In remembrance of that tough winter, each of the settlers takes 5 kernels of corn and shares what they are grateful for.

We mimic this activity in our family. 

Wherever we are and whoever we are with, we each get five kernels and a fancy sheet of paper. Everyone then writes down and shares five things that they are thankful for. We share our gratitude for what God had done for us and our love for each other. There is also the random mention of Star Wars or Pokémon, but Jesus is well represented. A cup is passed around; as you share your items, you put in your kernels one at a time. 

In a time of celebration, our family is reminded that the pies, the food, the football and the naps are not the most important part of this holiday.  Rather, these things are an intentional celebration of those things we are thankful for throughout the year.

Your family may have its own traditions that focus on gratitude and thankfulness.  Or maybe you don’t and it’s time to start one.  Either way, make time to be intentional with your family, and create opportunities to share what is important, what this season is about. This is a great lesson to start the holiday season. They may blow you off at the beginning, but they will see the benefits.  May you and yours be gratefully blessed this Thanksgiving season!

Paul (aka Mr. Brouse to kids at MCC) is MCC's Children's Ministry leader, husband to Mindy Brouse and the father of 7. 

The first time I saw him, I was drawn to him.  

Though I had only been in this country for a few hours, and had no experience with its customs, even I could readily see his Spirit-borne purpose.  His demeanor was easy and joyful.  He was earnest and peaceful at worship, and even more so with everyone that he met. 

From the first time that I saw him, I can honestly say that I thanked the Lord for him.

That was two years ago.

Since then, Orano has been in all three of the groups that I have taught.  He has served me as an interpreter in many of those class days. 

And I am grateful, in God’s providence, that a friendship has grown between us.  

I spoke with him for a while before class this morning. Rather casually, I asked him how his evening was, and what he had done last night.  

“Well, I went to teach the Kingdom curriculum with a family here in Awassa last night, and then I went to preach in a church.”

I was stunned.  

You see, we are in class from 9 to 5 each day this week. This is a significant commitment for the students, especially since they had homework Monday night - to create an outline of the entire book of Galatians for Tuesday morning; and then they had a 10-minute presentation of an assigned passage due today (Thursday).

But in addition to these things, Orano is spending each night this week, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., teaching the curriculum that he helped to write, to a pastor and his family of six.

Then, last night, he also went to a church here in town, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m., where he had been invited to come and share a message.

Most of us go home at the end of the day pretty tired, having spent the day studying and wrestling together. 

He leaves from our teaching site - where he’s usually also been translating back-and-forth all day - and his ministry day is really just getting going.

The best part of it all?  He was joyful again this morning, and had I not specifically asked, I would not have known anything of these labors.  

In the end, I was humbled to think of the way that many of these students are willingly making sacrifices, just like Orano.  And I’m supremely grateful for the daily and weekly sacrifices that are made by many of you; to tirelessly serve your families, to serve the Lord at work, and to seek the Lord in your daily lives.  

The grace of God does not simply make us driven, bitter-hard workers.  The grace of God changes our soul, so that our work becomes a source and a chance for our joy.

Oh yeah. And did I mention that he did a really nice job on his presentation this morning?

In the comment section tell us which relationships you are grateful for, that the Lord has provided in His providence!