Saturday, December 24, 2011

Traditions: Old, New, Modified.


Keeping tradition helps us stay grounded as a family during the holidays.  I am so grateful for the things we can look forward to year after year that make it feel like Christmas.  Year after year, God's people kept feasts and celebrations, they rejoiced in shadows of things to come, waiting. always waiting.  And so we wait, expectantly, celebrating One who has come! And will come again!  Come, quickly Lord Jesus! 

Counting the ways He blesses through traditions:



#5246 Gingerbread houses.  They have been a constant for us since Caleb was a toddler.   I usually cheat and use graham crackers as the walls and roof.  This year we had to modify, hence, gingerbread house cookies were born (thanks Vanessa!).  They were so delicious we weren't even sad that they didn't stand up! 



#5247.  Being a part of an international community.  We are excited to adopt new traditions of around the world.  On Wednesday we went to a Mom and Kids Christmas Party and made Christingels, a British tradition from the Anglican church.  It was a sweet time as we contemplated the world (the orange), Jesus' love that encircles the whole world (red ribbon), His light and His goodness to us (candies and candle).  Then we paused to think of loved ones around the world that we miss and who we want to experience His love this Christmas.  It was so precious to stop and remember the ones we are far away from and pray for them.  A new tradition born!


#5248.  Fun things we can only do in Uganda at Christmas-time- like playing water guns, going to the pool, and eating ice cream!


#5249.  New traditions of our own here in Uganda.  We want to make sure we are celebrating and worshiping Jesus, and so we are trying new ways to bring His light to the people around us.  If you want to be challenged on your own Christmas traditions, read this blog post.  


#5250.  Celebrating in Arua with my brother and his family.  So we also get to participate in their traditions!  Meg has been doing some fun advent devotions with the boys- this one is the angels appearing to the shepherds!


#5251.  Food.   So important part of any celebration!   And I wanted to find some type of Christmas candy to make- and wafer candy was born!  Everything back in the states is made with Oreos or Ritz these days- so I found a wafer cookie that is in all our grocery stores here.  I chopped them into squares and dipped them in melted Cadbury chocolate!  Perfect!

How are celebrating this year?  What traditions do you have that keep Jesus in the middle of the festivities?


7 comments:

  1. I loved reading of the new traditions your family is learning about. I will follow up on several of the links you suggested. How wonderful that your family is sharing the love of Jesus with others.

    Blessings and love,
    Debbie

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  2. So many special ways to celebrate and share traditions with your children, and friends... Beautiful!

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  3. This is one of the many blessings of the Season, that we get to share new and old traditions, just as I have learned some new ones here today.

    Maria @ A Blooming Spirit

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  4. Kelly, I love this. Absolutely love seeing your pics from Uganda because we are now sponsoring a child there through Compassion! SO excited about it! Blessings and happy new year! Love.
    Amy

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  5. This year I found some great gifts from DaySpring (You Are Loved plaque for our daughter and a friend, and a lovely cross with Philippians 4:13 for our son). It seems a new tradition of meaningful focus has been born. Thanks for sharing your list this week. Blessings!

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  6. Kelly wonderful way to create new traditions while anchoring the beauty of the season for your family. God bless you as you serve in this capacity. You and your family are in my prayers.
    Kerry-Ann

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  7. So precious that you recognize what really matters most is the message you are there to deliver in the first place :) you are doing a great job of thinking on your feet mama - lovely!

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Thanks for joining the conversation!