November 22, 2023 • 28 mins
Join us on the journey back to the first Christmas, where we saw in Episode 7, Savoring The Savior Christmas Part 1 that it was all about a baby that was worthy to be worshipped. In this episode we will see that it was also about a family, and not just any family, it could have been today’s dysfunctional family— an unwed teenager who finds out she is pregnant, a betrothed man, considering divorce, or adoption.
Mary and Joseph, all had great faith when they said YES to God’s plan. We, too can embrace our circumstances, and the people in our life and say YES to God by loving them right where they are this Christmas season.
Family relationships are precious, and the holidays are a great time to pour into creating a vibrant spiritual home, with blood family or those who are like family to you. We can do this through traditions, messy prayer, loud tables, and open doors. We share our experiences about the beautiful chaos of family dinners, the sweetness of opening our homes to others, and opportunities to develop deeper connections and meaningful conversations. Spending quality time with loved ones and being about the people with give you treasured and precious memories, not by doing more, but choosing less of the right things.
In case you are wondering,—“How can we simply incorporate the sights, sounds, and tastes of Christmas this year?” or “How might we connect with teens during these family activities?” Then you are at the right place. Together, let's shine the light and love of Jesus this Christmas.
Christmas Conversation Starters
SOCIAL MEDIA: @called_toshine Instagram.
Follow us on Instagram and enjoy the community as we spur each other on through inspiration, encouragement, and equipping.
And always you can find resources to help you connect to the people around you at NBS2GO! (nbs2go.com)
— A ministry of NBS2GO: Neighbor Bible Studies to Go and Cru
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jesslyn Adams (00:02):
Hello.
Pam McCune (00:04):
and Pam.
Welcome to the community wherewe explore how Jesus is our
light.
Jesslyn Adams (00:09):
And we are here to spur each other on to love
God and others, right where welive.
We are called to shine.
Pam McCune (00:16):
In part one we shared about making your
Christmas meaningful andmemorable by focusing on
savoring the Savior, we decidedto go back to the first
Christmas and see what we canglean from the original
Christmas, to find how we canmake it memorable, meaningful
and simple.
We came down to three thingsthat it centered around.
(00:36):
First it centered around afamily, and then we found out
that it centered around amessage the Messiah is coming.
The third thing that we foundis that first Christmas it
centered around a baby that wasworthy to be worshiped.
Jesslyn Adams (00:51):
It was because of who he was that we could stop
and savor the Savior, from doingan Advent Bible study to
following our Instagram calledthe Shine account and finding
where you can marinate on 25days of prophecies of Jesus, or
even setting up an activity setwhere you and your family can
spend time adoring the Savior ofthe world.
Pam McCune (01:09):
When we went back to the first Christmas, it was
fascinating that it centered allaround a family, and it's not
just any family.
It could be today'sdysfunctional family.
Here's Mary, who scholars thinkshe was a teenager, probably
around the age of 14, and shewas betrothed to Joseph.
She was planning her weddingand she was dreaming what her
(01:32):
colors be brown or what they bebrown.
And she is so excited when sheis visited by an angel.
Gabriel came to meet her.
In the 6 month of Elizabeth'spregnancy, god sent the angel
Gabriel to Nazareth, a town inGalilee, to a virgin pledged to
be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.
(01:54):
The virgin's name was Mary.
The angel went to her and saidGreetings, you, who are highly
favored.
The Lord is with you.
Mary was greatly troubled athis words and wondered what kind
of greeting this might be.
Ok, this is the first sign thatthere is something different
about Mary.
She wasn't worried about seeingthe angel.
(02:14):
Have you noticed that everyoneis worried?
If don't be afraid about seeingan angel, not Mary.
No, she is troubled with hiswords and thought.
I'm not highly favored.
Most teenagers already thinkthey are highly favored, while
Mary was different.
But the angel said to her Donot be afraid, mary, you have
found favor with God.
You will conceive and givebirth to a son, and you were to
(02:38):
call him Jesus.
This was the first freesonogram.
He will be great and will becalled the son of the most high.
The Lord God will give him thethrone of his father, david, and
he will reign over Jacob'sdescendants forever.
His kingdom will never end.
This is a lot of details forany kind of man.
(03:01):
Angel Gabriel knew a lot ofinformation, but Mary had one
question.
She wanted to know how willthis be?
Since I am a virgin, shewondered if Gabe got out much
and if he understood about thebirds and the bees.
Well, gabe totally knew whatwas going on.
The Holy Spirit will come onyou and the power of the most
(03:21):
high will overshadow you.
So the Holy One to be born willbe called the son of God.
And then he digressed a littlewhen he said Even Elizabeth,
your relative is going to have achild.
In her old age, gabe did nothave southern manners.
We don't call anyone old, nomatter what.
(03:42):
And then he says and she, whois said to be barren, is in her
sixth month.
Okay, can we change him fromGabe to Gossiping Gabe, oh my.
But he totally understood.
He summed it all up, for hesaid nothing is impossible with
God.
I think I would have somequestions.
(04:03):
Do you know what Mary'sresponse was?
I am the Lord servant.
May it be to me as you havesaid.
She said yes.
I think I would have made a procon list.
Do I want to be the laughingstock and the Scuttle Buck at
the well?
Mary said yes, lord, sign me up.
If this is your plan for me, Iwant it.
(04:25):
But Mary wasn't the only onewith great faith.
Joseph was too.
He was betrothed to Mary, itsays in Matthew.
This is how the birth of Jesuscame about.
His mother, mary, was pledgedto be married to Joseph, but
before they came together shewas found to be a child through
the Holy Spirit.
Because Joseph, her husband,was a righteous man and did not
(04:46):
want to expose her to publicdisgrace, he had in mind to
divorce her quietly.
But after he had consideredthis, an angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a dream.
Yeah, joseph got stressed andhe did what I do.
He went and took a nap and herethe angel came to him and said
Joseph, son of David, do not beafraid to take Mary home as your
(05:08):
wife, because what is conceivedin her is from the Holy Spirit.
She will give birth to a son.
You are to call him the nameJesus, because he will save his
people from their sins.
When Joseph woke up, he didwhat the angel of the Lord
commanded and took Mary home ashis wife.
Joseph took place to fulfillwhat the prophet had said.
(05:30):
The virgin will be a child andgive birth to a son, and they
will call him Emmanuel, god withus.
When Joseph woke up, he didwhat the angel of the Lord
commanded, but he had no unionwith her until she gave birth to
a son and he gave him the nameJesus.
I don't know how hard that wasfor Joseph If he considered that
he would be the talk of thetown, but it sounds like he woke
(05:53):
up and went straight toobedience and he said yes to God
, and he said yes to Mary and hesaid yes to baby Jesus Adoption
.
Joseph said yes, god, sign meup.
That's great faith.
Jesus did too.
He left heaven to come to earth, to go through birth, to live,
so he could actually die apainful death to pay the penalty
(06:15):
for you and me, so that wecould be in Relationship with
God, to do for you and me whatwe couldn't do for ourselves.
Wherever we are in our ownfamilies, it can't be too much
more different than Jesus'sfamily.
An unwed teenager who'spregnant, someone Contemplating
divorce, adoption beingconsidered?
I don't know where you are.
Maybe everything looks greeneron the other side.
(06:37):
You're single and you wish youwere married.
You're married and you sadlywish you were single.
You wish you had children.
You wish you didn't havechildren, or your children just
left to college.
You went them back.
Or their teens and you'recounting down the days to when
they might go to college.
You and me, we can say yes toGod by loving the people that
he's put in our life right now.
(06:57):
Now I know some of you aresaying of course we love the
people, I know you love them.
We just don't always like them.
We want to like them and begracious to them when they get
their acts together and obey ordo the right thing.
But what if this season, weembrace them and we love them
right where they are, evenbefore they have their acts
(07:18):
together?
How about we just say, yes, Ilove you, I want to celebrate
with you and I want to embracewhere we are right now.
Let's be like Mary and Josephand make it a yes season and
surround the people in our livesand love them.
For some of you that are single,you're thinking, hmm, how do I
do that?
Well, who are the people thatare as if family that you do
(07:39):
life with, or maybe it'sExtended family that you don't
get to spend much time with,that you can make a way to be
with them in person or from afar, but be knit heart to heart.
You can graft other people inand make them a part of your
family.
Maybe you are in an empty nest,so maybe there's someone that's
single or that's widow that youcan graft into your family to
(08:00):
spend time with.
This season, family matters andGod had Jesus come through a
family, an ordinary, typicalfamily that didn't have all the
answers, but they knew thatnothing is Impossible with God
and the fact that Mary andJoseph said yes, lord, you will
be done.
Jesslyn Adams (08:19):
That's incredible .
Accepting the circumstances inyour right family through the
holidays it can evoke a lot ofemotions.
You can be super excited tospend time with family and do a
few different celebrations, Goto different people's houses.
Some of y'all have justexperienced loss and so there's
a lack of somebody there andyou're grieving that, and so it
can be tricky, it can be messy,but I love.
(08:40):
Last Sunday our pastor taught onthis very importance of
gathering together as a familyand how to seize these moments.
He said that family matters toGod.
It is a refuge in a crazy worldand an example to others, and
when I think about we're calledto be a light and reflect him to
others.
What a unique opportunity, aswe gather for the holidays, to
be a light to our family, forthose that might be hard to love
(09:03):
, for those that may be jab atus and our nerves.
And then sometimes there arepeople that are easy to love, or
there's our kids that aresaying when's the next gift?
I want the next?
He said that the Barnardresearch group came up with a
study.
Three things were essential fora Vibrant spiritual home one
messy prayer.
It can be at dinner time, itcan be oh my goodness, I'm about
(09:23):
to lose my mind my son Benji.
Hey, let's just pray that wecan be kind to be grateful for
this gift that we have.
Or say I raise my voice at mychild while we're making the
Christmas meal, which hashappened, and I say, hey, benji,
I raised my voice at you.
I am so sorry.
Hey, you're having troubleobeying me right away.
Let's ask Jesus for help forboth of us.
Jesus, I'm sorry for yelling atmy son.
Thank you for forgiving us.
(09:44):
And then I asked Benji, I gohey, would you ask Jesus to help
you to obey right away with ahappy heart.
He grumbles a little bit, butthen he does it and it's the
cutest thing.
It's not pretty, it's not a bow, it's just messy.
But we're trying to invite Godinto the everyday things of life
, not just starting a meal orending the night, all throughout
(10:04):
the day inviting him in.
And okay, jesus, help me to bepatient.
Pam McCune (10:08):
It could be a multitude of things you alluded
to, not just the meal or the endof the night, because I think
Sometimes people put the perfectprayers together that sound aww
written out.
One girl told me that I was agold medal prayer.
Wait, I don't want to be a goldmedal prayer.
I ramble when I pray and I say,god, I don't like this.
Could you change it?
I like to be real and authentic, and that's what it sounds like
(10:31):
you're describing is Throughoutthe day, not just putting the
gold medal perfect prayertogether, but the desire of your
heart, in the hard things,calling out to God throughout
the day, of just Acknowledgingwhere I'm falling short with the
Lord and saying, oh, I justheard that grumbling.
God, I think I need your helpchange my attitude.
Jesslyn Adams (10:49):
So messy prayer.
Loud tables is number two.
We know that table discussionto be crazy people interrupting
loud voices, spilled drinks, allthings but when you gather
together, there's somethingintimate about gathering over a
meal and there's a deeperconnection being able to talk
about different things does thatdescribe your family?
Pam McCune (11:07):
Are y'all loud at the table?
Jesslyn Adams (11:08):
Yes, even when we're just trying to bless the
meal I mean, we do it every mealand I love my boys but
inevitably one is already eatingtheir meal.
One is kind of making a noiseor making a silly face and the
before you know it.
Sometimes we're talking overthe prayer and I'm like, okay,
we just got to make this prayershort and get to it and then we
start trying to ask about eachother's day, what went on?
(11:30):
we're talking over one another.
It's just chaotic.
And then my boys are like hey,can I get up?
I'm all done.
I'm like.
No, we're not done.
You know, we're still eating.
You know like, but I'm on todessert, you're on to dessert.
I think I just need to startserving dessert at the same time
as the meal and I think my kidswill linger a lot longer.
It's just kind of loud andchaotic.
There's something special aboutsaying let's sit at the table
(11:50):
and let's have a discussion, anykind of conversation.
Pam McCune (11:53):
I think you just described family, even if
they're not blood family.
We want those table time to bereal, Everybody involved
together.
So you described a well allowedtable.
I have a series that I enjoywatching called Heartland,
Canada Horses.
You didn't tell me that I'mlike obsessed.
I love Heartland.
(12:14):
I was watching on YouTube abehind the scenes that they
invited us to their table.
It's all sharing about theirrelationships together and they
were talking about that's.
A big part of the show is eachscene of coming to the table and
eating together and why it hasactually resonated of us drawn
into wanting to be invited tothe table with this family.
(12:35):
And they're real, they're loudand they usually have some kind
of crazy discussion anddisagreement and disagreement.
Somebody goes to the kitchenreally just to get away.
I love how they described it asit being a big part of the
family.
I like to tell people if itmakes you happy to make a mess
in the kitchen, yes, sit down atthe table and make a mess in
(12:56):
the kitchen too.
If you have the finances to gothrough the drive-thru and bring
it and put it down at the table, it's just as important.
The bottom line is sitting atthe table either way that we're
sitting, and even thoughsomebody finished quick and
wants to go be on their game ortheir show or make a phone call,
no, this is family time.
You're going to sit five moreminutes and we're going to be
(13:17):
together, my family.
We had a lot of words.
We didn't have many ears thatwere available because we all
talked at the same time.
We started a tradition.
A lot of people do conversationstarters table talk For us.
We did it because I needed toteach them that when one
person's talking, the othersneed to listen or ask questions
about that topic, not keepchanging the topic.
(13:40):
We set it as a time to cometogether.
Now I like tears at the dinnertable.
It helps season the food, incase the food wasn't really
seasoned right.
I would ask them what was thehardest thing of their day.
My good friend confronted meand said my kids were tired of
crying at the dinner table.
I needed to ask them funquestions.
Yes.
So we put together 100questions, having that jar by
(14:01):
the table and putting questionsin there.
You buy them or you make themyourself and everybody draws out
one question.
Whoever visits your table in themonth of December, you're all
going to maybe ask a question ofyour favorite memory from
Christmas's past, or maybe it'syour favorite food.
They don't have to be deep,they can be fun.
You all have a chance to talkNow.
My father-in-law, before hepassed away, was really a shy
(14:24):
man and if there are a lot ofpeople at the table he wasn't
going to talk over.
The question is good because itgave everybody a chance to talk
and everybody a chance tolisten.
And if you do go to extendedfamily during the season, you're
thinking, oh, I can't talk toUncle Bob, he still owes me
money.
There's tension.
These questions will break thetension.
You're all talking and somehowbringing up past memories and
(14:47):
favorite traditions is a goodcommon place to come together
with people that they'reawkwardness, so I love the loud
table.
Jesslyn Adams (14:54):
And then the third thing is open doors.
I love what you said.
Who can you invite in tocelebrate the holidays, with the
season?
He just encouraged us.
Whether you had the gift ofhospitality or not, god calls us
to be able to invite peopleinto our home or into some
segment of our lives.
You're going to go to arestaurant.
We've met people there that hada playground.
(15:14):
We invited them in to kind ofbe a part of our family and see
the ups and downs, and that.
We don't ever act together.
We're imperfect, but we want tobe a place where people feel
known and cared for, evenstatistically.
I've heard that the US we'rekind of hard on opening our
doors Other cultures, people areinvited over to a meal Way more
than we are in America, andover the holidays is a great
(15:37):
opportunity for those that don'thave family close by or family
gone.
What a great way to invitepeople in.
Even though it's messy, chaos,it's beautiful.
People see the love of Jesuswhen we do that, when we say
come in, see my unswept floors,come, enjoy whatever it is.
And I love your idea too of theconversation cards.
Chick-fil-a over the pastcouple of years has given some
(15:57):
away in their kid meals.
I've even asked sometimes canyou just let me buy it from you,
because it's grown adultquestions too, and our kids love
it and our conversation goes alot of different directions and
it allows people from alldifferent backgrounds and
dynamics to relate and be a partof the conversation.
Pam McCune (16:13):
Where do you fit on the gift of hospitality?
Hospitality and entertainingare different things, but where
do you fit into wanting to havepeople over?
Jesslyn Adams (16:22):
and enjoying it, for us to host and to be able to
enjoy it and not be drained.
We operate on paper, no matterwhat.
We had Thanksgiving last yearat my house and I said, okay,
we'll get the fancy paper or thefancy plastic, but I don't want
to do extra dishes that can'trelax when they're stacking up
in the sink and be engaged inconversation.
And so, for me, I love to havegames going on to help fill the
(16:44):
conversation.
Kids love it, we love it.
I want to be present.
My best, yes, is actuallyengaging in conversation, and my
husband's actually really great.
I'm more of the person that'sconnecting and he says, hey, you
continue in conversation andI'll start doing the dishes.
And this is the perfect sweetspot because he can kind of go
recharge and do the dishes andnot engage, and I can
continually talk with people.
We sometimes cook for peopleand if it's a busy season, we're
(17:06):
ordering in.
We put that in the budget.
That helps us to say yes tohospitality.
Pam McCune (17:11):
It seems really important to know what fuels you
, what drains you, so you canwork together probably
expectations, but also so you'renot surprised afterwards to say
I'm so depleted.
I was listening to someone thatis really good at entertaining
and she said, truthfully,entertaining is about being all
about the people.
If it helps you be all aboutthe people to have paper plates,
(17:34):
then that's the bestentertaining to do, so you have
the energy to ask them.
Questions is to bring food in,then that's important.
If your love language isserving up the best meal on the
most beautiful fine china, thenwork out of your giftings.
But it's good to know we're alldifferent.
She said that they were invitedover by people that had
forgotten they were coming.
(17:55):
They threw something together,but they were so busy they
didn't ask them one question.
It would have been so muchbetter to call and cancel and
say let's reschedule when we canactually be present.
Yes, beautiful meals areincredible to enjoy, but some of
us might just enjoy a cup ofsoup with good conversation.
How can we set ourselves up tobe about the people this
(18:18):
Christmas season?
Hopefully we really will havepeople in.
Hopefully we're not so drainedto have the perfect house, and
that's a big part of it, jocelyn.
The most important thing is acertain mindset and where our
heart is.
What would you say is?
Jesslyn Adams (18:31):
important, you know.
I think it starts from what wetalked about before savoring the
Savior.
When I spend time with Christand say I have some anxieties
before I get together for afamily gathering or go to a
party and I'm stressed or forgotsomething I was supposed to
bring, I just pray that messyprayer and ask God to come in.
And I love Ephesians 4-2.
(18:52):
It just helps me understandwhere Christ needs to be in my
life and how I need to come intothis gathering or this event.
And it says always be humbleand gentle, be patient with each
other, making allowance foreach other's faults.
Wow, being humble and gentle,patient with each other, making
allowance for each other'sfaults.
I know I have faults.
(19:13):
I know all of us are going tohave faults.
We are broken people.
Coming in with a posture ofhumility changes the dynamic of
the room and allows Christ towork.
The idea of messy prayer, loudtables and open doors create a
vibrant spiritual home.
Pam McCune (19:28):
You can sense that in other people If they're
humble enough to be all about uswhen we walk in.
That's incredible as we thinkabout setting apart this family
time of whoever's in your life.
Okay, I'm going to invitepeople in, I'm going to have
some messy prayer, some maybetable talk loud tables and I'm
going to open my door.
Do some of your familytraditions.
Don't feel like you have tochange them all for other people
(19:50):
.
People love to be invited in toyour traditions.
So, as you think through thisyear, what tradition do I want
to focus on?
Please don't keep addingtraditions till you get to 25.
Some of them you need to putthem on pause for this season to
think what do I have thecapacity to handle?
And then those are thetraditions to try to do.
(20:10):
Jesslyn, did you havetraditions growing up?
Jesslyn Adams (20:14):
We typically went and drove around and looked at
Christmas lights, love to dothat and we started doing that
with our kids.
But we add some Christmas musicin the background, maybe a
little hot cocoa with a lid inthe car, and they love it.
And since we've moved to SanMarcos, texas, they have a
special holiday carnival thatcomes right around at Christmas.
It's called Sights and Sounds.
(20:34):
In local choirs and bandsperform nightly Christmas music.
There's carnival rides andgames and, my favorite, a live
nativity set that they put a lotof work in with live donkeys
and shepherds, all amidst awonderful walk through light
displays.
It lights up the town and itgets us in the holiday spirit.
Pam McCune (20:51):
How brilliant is that?
For somebody else to do all thework, that is maybe the wisest
thing.
Let somebody else do thedecorating, the magical, and you
just get to go experience it asa family, and maybe that's a
fun time to invite somebody elseto come experience it as well.
If you're overwhelmed withputting together the perfect
Christmas tree, go to eventslike this or to stores that do
(21:14):
big, elaborate displays and justgo ahead and go when you're in
your good clothes and they havesomebody.
Come and take a picture and doyour family picture in front of
other people's trees.
It will save your sanity, foryou not having to put all the
pressure on yourself.
If you love putting together aChristmas tree, I think that's
wonderful.
If you have the perfect tree,the perfect tree should be in
(21:36):
your room because you put ittogether.
If you have a family Christmastree, that gets to be in the
family room.
I've seen you.
I know you people that let yourkids decorate and as soon as
they go to bed you redecorate it.
You moved all those ornamentsaround because they needed to be
in the right place.
I understand beauty I really dobut if you are complaining that
your family doesn't want to bea part of the decorating.
(21:58):
It could be, because you're notletting them own it.
Everybody should have a treethat you let them be a part of
and, jesslyn, you know whatthat's like when they're
toddlers.
What does that tree look like?
It is heavy with all theornaments on the bottom, because
that's as far as they can reach.
Yes, it is a challenge tree andthat is that season.
Take a picture of that season,because you might not get that
(22:21):
season back and you want toenjoy the moment.
That's the simplicity of theseason is enjoying each moment
and knowing it's different foreach year.
You'll see who will be with you, who is here, who is not, and
learning to accept it andfinding the delights along the
way.
Here's a hint If you say it'stime to decorate for Christmas
(22:42):
and you're going to bring the 40boxes out of the attic and your
family schedules electivesurgery, you may have gone over
the edge.
They may be afraid of you.
In that situation, I would sayless is more.
Don't stress your family out byyour expectations.
If you can make an environmentthat is sweet, so it's.
The sights of Christmas.
Play some music of the soundsof Christmas.
(23:03):
Sure, if you have a Victrola,put it on.
If you just click Spotify andyou do a playlist, that is
perfect.
You can also add some bells toyour doors.
You know those bells that arehalf round circle.
That just goes over a doorknoband five bells hanging from them
.
Dollar Tree sells them and youcan put those on the door.
So if you forget to ever pushplay, the sounds of Christmas
(23:26):
will always be there for everytime someone goes in or out
during the season.
It's also helpful to know who'scoming in.
As you're wrapping gifts, putthem on your own room doorknob,
or if the teen came in late,it's a helpful tool to know Mmm,
they might have broken curfewtoday.
Do some of the smells?
If you want to bake, yes, butif you just have a candle that
(23:47):
has your favorite smell, lightit up.
These will all trigger theemotions and the senses and then
add some of those taste as well.
Be it you get it at the bakeryor be it you make a mess in the
kitchen.
If you don't want to make amess in the kitchen, feel free
to buy it at the bakery and putit in your plate and go ahead
and drizzle some chocolate ontop so it looks like you do not
have to tell people where yougot it, don't lie.
(24:09):
But when they ask you for therecipe, you just say no, you
don't want to share.
Make it fun, make it matter,but make it fit into what you
can do.
The Bethlehem Star have youheard of this one?
You go out Christmas Eve oranytime the week of Christmas
and you see which star comes outfirst.
Or maybe you notice thebrightest star and you use it as
(24:31):
a moment to talk about theBethlehem Star, the guide and
the wise men all the way toJesus.
Here's the principle that wesay when it comes to teens and
inviting them into the family todo things.
We say low expectations, highsatisfaction.
You need to expect less.
I'm saying hold them toboundaries and hold them to good
(24:52):
things, but don't expect thatthey're going to come bouncing
in eagerly saying we'redecorating the tree tonight.
They may say, huh, we're doingthat again.
And you say, yes, I'm soexcited, we're doing that again.
Whatever your tradition isdecorating the tree, favorite
Christmas movie that you watchyou lay it out with eagerness
(25:14):
and then let them catch up asyou jump into it.
They may not come runningexcited, but usually by the
middle of it.
They're glad to be with,they're glad to know they have a
family or to be invited into afamily that has traditions.
My friend's tradition is towatch the Wizard of Oz.
But they don't just watch theWizard of Oz at Christmas, they
dress in all the parts.
(25:35):
Everybody gets to pick onecharacter and they come dressed
as that part and then whenthey're saying those lines, that
character has to say thoselines.
And for her there was justsomething about a teen coming as
a scarecrow saying if I onlyhad a brain.
Whatever your tradition is,embrace it, be it that yours is
different than anybody else's.
You picked your movie, youenjoy it and you go with it.
Jesslyn Adams (25:58):
So here are three principles to aim at for the
season with kids Be present morethan productive, invest more
time than money, and the bestmemories don't have to be
expensive but intentional.
Pam McCune (26:11):
Hopefully one of these ideas can fit into what
your family looks like, or youcan adapt it.
Set apart family time, make itfun, make it delightful, make it
simple, meaningful andmemorable.
A little boy was waiting forhis dad to come home from work
and he'd been watching out thedoor moment by moment and
finally, when his dad arrived,he ran up to his dad and he said
(26:34):
Daddy, how much money do youmake an hour?
Surprised, and giving his sonthat look, the father said son,
don't bother me right now, I'mtired.
But, daddy, please tell me,please tell me, dad, dad, dad,
how much do you make an hour?
The father, finally, giving up,said $20 an hour.
Okay, okay, daddy, okay, couldyou loan me $10?
(26:58):
His father, positivelyfrustrated and disturbed,
snapped at him and said that'sthe reason you asked me how much
I earn.
You want to borrow money?
Go to sleep and don't bother meanymore.
Well, later the father wasthinking over his words and his
tone and he was feeling prettyguilty, and so he went into his
son's room and he said are youasleep, son?
(27:21):
And the half asleep boy said no, daddy, why?
Here's the money you asked forearlier.
Thanks, daddy.
He put his hand under hispillow and he removed some more
money.
Now I have enough.
Now I have $20.
Daddy, can I buy one hour ofyour time?
Time is precious.
(27:41):
Setting apart our family timemeans much to each and every one
.
Jesslyn Adams (27:48):
We have so much more to explore together, so be
sure to subscribe to our podcast, and if today has inspired or
encouraged you, you can helpothers find us by taking a
moment to give us a review onyour favorite podcast streaming
site.
Pam McCune (28:00):
And as our thanks for joining us here, we invite
you to follow us on Instagram atcalled to shine.
As part of our called to shineInstagram community, you will
get encouragement and ideas tohelp you connect to the people
around you.
Jesslyn Adams (28:14):
And, as always, you can find resources to help
you shine the light of Jesus atmbs2gocom neighbor Bible studies
to go.
In our next episode we get topoint people to Jesus this
season.
Pam McCune (28:26):
We can do that in a myriad of ways of loving them
where they're at and pointingthem to God.
Thanks for joining us today.
We are called to shine.
Hello.
Pam McCune (00:04):
and Pam.
Welcome to the community wherewe explore how Jesus is our
light.
Jesslyn Adams (00:09):
And we are here to spur each other on to love
God and others, right where welive.
We are called to shine.
Pam McCune (00:16):
In part one we shared about making your
Christmas meaningful andmemorable by focusing on
savoring the Savior, we decidedto go back to the first
Christmas and see what we canglean from the original
Christmas, to find how we canmake it memorable, meaningful
and simple.
We came down to three thingsthat it centered around.
(00:36):
First it centered around afamily, and then we found out
that it centered around amessage the Messiah is coming.
The third thing that we foundis that first Christmas it
centered around a baby that wasworthy to be worshiped.
Jesslyn Adams (00:51):
It was because of who he was that we could stop
and savor the Savior, from doingan Advent Bible study to
following our Instagram calledthe Shine account and finding
where you can marinate on 25days of prophecies of Jesus, or
even setting up an activity setwhere you and your family can
spend time adoring the Savior ofthe world.
Pam McCune (01:09):
When we went back to the first Christmas, it was
fascinating that it centered allaround a family, and it's not
just any family.
It could be today'sdysfunctional family.
Here's Mary, who scholars thinkshe was a teenager, probably
around the age of 14, and shewas betrothed to Joseph.
She was planning her weddingand she was dreaming what her
(01:32):
colors be brown or what they bebrown.
And she is so excited when sheis visited by an angel.
Gabriel came to meet her.
In the 6 month of Elizabeth'spregnancy, god sent the angel
Gabriel to Nazareth, a town inGalilee, to a virgin pledged to
be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.
(01:54):
The virgin's name was Mary.
The angel went to her and saidGreetings, you, who are highly
favored.
The Lord is with you.
Mary was greatly troubled athis words and wondered what kind
of greeting this might be.
Ok, this is the first sign thatthere is something different
about Mary.
She wasn't worried about seeingthe angel.
(02:14):
Have you noticed that everyoneis worried?
If don't be afraid about seeingan angel, not Mary.
No, she is troubled with hiswords and thought.
I'm not highly favored.
Most teenagers already thinkthey are highly favored, while
Mary was different.
But the angel said to her Donot be afraid, mary, you have
found favor with God.
You will conceive and givebirth to a son, and you were to
(02:38):
call him Jesus.
This was the first freesonogram.
He will be great and will becalled the son of the most high.
The Lord God will give him thethrone of his father, david, and
he will reign over Jacob'sdescendants forever.
His kingdom will never end.
This is a lot of details forany kind of man.
(03:01):
Angel Gabriel knew a lot ofinformation, but Mary had one
question.
She wanted to know how willthis be?
Since I am a virgin, shewondered if Gabe got out much
and if he understood about thebirds and the bees.
Well, gabe totally knew whatwas going on.
The Holy Spirit will come onyou and the power of the most
(03:21):
high will overshadow you.
So the Holy One to be born willbe called the son of God.
And then he digressed a littlewhen he said Even Elizabeth,
your relative is going to have achild.
In her old age, gabe did nothave southern manners.
We don't call anyone old, nomatter what.
(03:42):
And then he says and she, whois said to be barren, is in her
sixth month.
Okay, can we change him fromGabe to Gossiping Gabe, oh my.
But he totally understood.
He summed it all up, for hesaid nothing is impossible with
God.
I think I would have somequestions.
(04:03):
Do you know what Mary'sresponse was?
I am the Lord servant.
May it be to me as you havesaid.
She said yes.
I think I would have made a procon list.
Do I want to be the laughingstock and the Scuttle Buck at
the well?
Mary said yes, lord, sign me up.
If this is your plan for me, Iwant it.
(04:25):
But Mary wasn't the only onewith great faith.
Joseph was too.
He was betrothed to Mary, itsays in Matthew.
This is how the birth of Jesuscame about.
His mother, mary, was pledgedto be married to Joseph, but
before they came together shewas found to be a child through
the Holy Spirit.
Because Joseph, her husband,was a righteous man and did not
(04:46):
want to expose her to publicdisgrace, he had in mind to
divorce her quietly.
But after he had consideredthis, an angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a dream.
Yeah, joseph got stressed andhe did what I do.
He went and took a nap and herethe angel came to him and said
Joseph, son of David, do not beafraid to take Mary home as your
(05:08):
wife, because what is conceivedin her is from the Holy Spirit.
She will give birth to a son.
You are to call him the nameJesus, because he will save his
people from their sins.
When Joseph woke up, he didwhat the angel of the Lord
commanded and took Mary home ashis wife.
Joseph took place to fulfillwhat the prophet had said.
(05:30):
The virgin will be a child andgive birth to a son, and they
will call him Emmanuel, god withus.
When Joseph woke up, he didwhat the angel of the Lord
commanded, but he had no unionwith her until she gave birth to
a son and he gave him the nameJesus.
I don't know how hard that wasfor Joseph If he considered that
he would be the talk of thetown, but it sounds like he woke
(05:53):
up and went straight toobedience and he said yes to God
, and he said yes to Mary and hesaid yes to baby Jesus Adoption
.
Joseph said yes, god, sign meup.
That's great faith.
Jesus did too.
He left heaven to come to earth, to go through birth, to live,
so he could actually die apainful death to pay the penalty
(06:15):
for you and me, so that wecould be in Relationship with
God, to do for you and me whatwe couldn't do for ourselves.
Wherever we are in our ownfamilies, it can't be too much
more different than Jesus'sfamily.
An unwed teenager who'spregnant, someone Contemplating
divorce, adoption beingconsidered?
I don't know where you are.
Maybe everything looks greeneron the other side.
(06:37):
You're single and you wish youwere married.
You're married and you sadlywish you were single.
You wish you had children.
You wish you didn't havechildren, or your children just
left to college.
You went them back.
Or their teens and you'recounting down the days to when
they might go to college.
You and me, we can say yes toGod by loving the people that
he's put in our life right now.
(06:57):
Now I know some of you aresaying of course we love the
people, I know you love them.
We just don't always like them.
We want to like them and begracious to them when they get
their acts together and obey ordo the right thing.
But what if this season, weembrace them and we love them
right where they are, evenbefore they have their acts
(07:18):
together?
How about we just say, yes, Ilove you, I want to celebrate
with you and I want to embracewhere we are right now.
Let's be like Mary and Josephand make it a yes season and
surround the people in our livesand love them.
For some of you that are single,you're thinking, hmm, how do I
do that?
Well, who are the people thatare as if family that you do
(07:39):
life with, or maybe it'sExtended family that you don't
get to spend much time with,that you can make a way to be
with them in person or from afar, but be knit heart to heart.
You can graft other people inand make them a part of your
family.
Maybe you are in an empty nest,so maybe there's someone that's
single or that's widow that youcan graft into your family to
(08:00):
spend time with.
This season, family matters andGod had Jesus come through a
family, an ordinary, typicalfamily that didn't have all the
answers, but they knew thatnothing is Impossible with God
and the fact that Mary andJoseph said yes, lord, you will
be done.
Jesslyn Adams (08:19):
That's incredible .
Accepting the circumstances inyour right family through the
holidays it can evoke a lot ofemotions.
You can be super excited tospend time with family and do a
few different celebrations, Goto different people's houses.
Some of y'all have justexperienced loss and so there's
a lack of somebody there andyou're grieving that, and so it
can be tricky, it can be messy,but I love.
(08:40):
Last Sunday our pastor taught onthis very importance of
gathering together as a familyand how to seize these moments.
He said that family matters toGod.
It is a refuge in a crazy worldand an example to others, and
when I think about we're calledto be a light and reflect him to
others.
What a unique opportunity, aswe gather for the holidays, to
be a light to our family, forthose that might be hard to love
(09:03):
, for those that may be jab atus and our nerves.
And then sometimes there arepeople that are easy to love, or
there's our kids that aresaying when's the next gift?
I want the next?
He said that the Barnardresearch group came up with a
study.
Three things were essential fora Vibrant spiritual home one
messy prayer.
It can be at dinner time, itcan be oh my goodness, I'm about
(09:23):
to lose my mind my son Benji.
Hey, let's just pray that wecan be kind to be grateful for
this gift that we have.
Or say I raise my voice at mychild while we're making the
Christmas meal, which hashappened, and I say, hey, benji,
I raised my voice at you.
I am so sorry.
Hey, you're having troubleobeying me right away.
Let's ask Jesus for help forboth of us.
Jesus, I'm sorry for yelling atmy son.
Thank you for forgiving us.
(09:44):
And then I asked Benji, I gohey, would you ask Jesus to help
you to obey right away with ahappy heart.
He grumbles a little bit, butthen he does it and it's the
cutest thing.
It's not pretty, it's not a bow, it's just messy.
But we're trying to invite Godinto the everyday things of life
, not just starting a meal orending the night, all throughout
(10:04):
the day inviting him in.
And okay, jesus, help me to bepatient.
Pam McCune (10:08):
It could be a multitude of things you alluded
to, not just the meal or the endof the night, because I think
Sometimes people put the perfectprayers together that sound aww
written out.
One girl told me that I was agold medal prayer.
Wait, I don't want to be a goldmedal prayer.
I ramble when I pray and I say,god, I don't like this.
Could you change it?
I like to be real and authentic, and that's what it sounds like
(10:31):
you're describing is Throughoutthe day, not just putting the
gold medal perfect prayertogether, but the desire of your
heart, in the hard things,calling out to God throughout
the day, of just Acknowledgingwhere I'm falling short with the
Lord and saying, oh, I justheard that grumbling.
God, I think I need your helpchange my attitude.
Jesslyn Adams (10:49):
So messy prayer.
Loud tables is number two.
We know that table discussionto be crazy people interrupting
loud voices, spilled drinks, allthings but when you gather
together, there's somethingintimate about gathering over a
meal and there's a deeperconnection being able to talk
about different things does thatdescribe your family?
Pam McCune (11:07):
Are y'all loud at the table?
Jesslyn Adams (11:08):
Yes, even when we're just trying to bless the
meal I mean, we do it every mealand I love my boys but
inevitably one is already eatingtheir meal.
One is kind of making a noiseor making a silly face and the
before you know it.
Sometimes we're talking overthe prayer and I'm like, okay,
we just got to make this prayershort and get to it and then we
start trying to ask about eachother's day, what went on?
(11:30):
we're talking over one another.
It's just chaotic.
And then my boys are like hey,can I get up?
I'm all done.
I'm like.
No, we're not done.
You know, we're still eating.
You know like, but I'm on todessert, you're on to dessert.
I think I just need to startserving dessert at the same time
as the meal and I think my kidswill linger a lot longer.
It's just kind of loud andchaotic.
There's something special aboutsaying let's sit at the table
(11:50):
and let's have a discussion, anykind of conversation.
Pam McCune (11:53):
I think you just described family, even if
they're not blood family.
We want those table time to bereal, Everybody involved
together.
So you described a well allowedtable.
I have a series that I enjoywatching called Heartland,
Canada Horses.
You didn't tell me that I'mlike obsessed.
I love Heartland.
(12:14):
I was watching on YouTube abehind the scenes that they
invited us to their table.
It's all sharing about theirrelationships together and they
were talking about that's.
A big part of the show is eachscene of coming to the table and
eating together and why it hasactually resonated of us drawn
into wanting to be invited tothe table with this family.
(12:35):
And they're real, they're loudand they usually have some kind
of crazy discussion anddisagreement and disagreement.
Somebody goes to the kitchenreally just to get away.
I love how they described it asit being a big part of the
family.
I like to tell people if itmakes you happy to make a mess
in the kitchen, yes, sit down atthe table and make a mess in
(12:56):
the kitchen too.
If you have the finances to gothrough the drive-thru and bring
it and put it down at the table, it's just as important.
The bottom line is sitting atthe table either way that we're
sitting, and even thoughsomebody finished quick and
wants to go be on their game ortheir show or make a phone call,
no, this is family time.
You're going to sit five moreminutes and we're going to be
(13:17):
together, my family.
We had a lot of words.
We didn't have many ears thatwere available because we all
talked at the same time.
We started a tradition.
A lot of people do conversationstarters table talk For us.
We did it because I needed toteach them that when one
person's talking, the othersneed to listen or ask questions
about that topic, not keepchanging the topic.
(13:40):
We set it as a time to cometogether.
Now I like tears at the dinnertable.
It helps season the food, incase the food wasn't really
seasoned right.
I would ask them what was thehardest thing of their day.
My good friend confronted meand said my kids were tired of
crying at the dinner table.
I needed to ask them funquestions.
Yes.
So we put together 100questions, having that jar by
(14:01):
the table and putting questionsin there.
You buy them or you make themyourself and everybody draws out
one question.
Whoever visits your table in themonth of December, you're all
going to maybe ask a question ofyour favorite memory from
Christmas's past, or maybe it'syour favorite food.
They don't have to be deep,they can be fun.
You all have a chance to talkNow.
My father-in-law, before hepassed away, was really a shy
(14:24):
man and if there are a lot ofpeople at the table he wasn't
going to talk over.
The question is good because itgave everybody a chance to talk
and everybody a chance tolisten.
And if you do go to extendedfamily during the season, you're
thinking, oh, I can't talk toUncle Bob, he still owes me
money.
There's tension.
These questions will break thetension.
You're all talking and somehowbringing up past memories and
(14:47):
favorite traditions is a goodcommon place to come together
with people that they'reawkwardness, so I love the loud
table.
Jesslyn Adams (14:54):
And then the third thing is open doors.
I love what you said.
Who can you invite in tocelebrate the holidays, with the
season?
He just encouraged us.
Whether you had the gift ofhospitality or not, god calls us
to be able to invite peopleinto our home or into some
segment of our lives.
You're going to go to arestaurant.
We've met people there that hada playground.
(15:14):
We invited them in to kind ofbe a part of our family and see
the ups and downs, and that.
We don't ever act together.
We're imperfect, but we want tobe a place where people feel
known and cared for, evenstatistically.
I've heard that the US we'rekind of hard on opening our
doors Other cultures, people areinvited over to a meal Way more
than we are in America, andover the holidays is a great
(15:37):
opportunity for those that don'thave family close by or family
gone.
What a great way to invitepeople in.
Even though it's messy, chaos,it's beautiful.
People see the love of Jesuswhen we do that, when we say
come in, see my unswept floors,come, enjoy whatever it is.
And I love your idea too of theconversation cards.
Chick-fil-a over the pastcouple of years has given some
(15:57):
away in their kid meals.
I've even asked sometimes canyou just let me buy it from you,
because it's grown adultquestions too, and our kids love
it and our conversation goes alot of different directions and
it allows people from alldifferent backgrounds and
dynamics to relate and be a partof the conversation.
Pam McCune (16:13):
Where do you fit on the gift of hospitality?
Hospitality and entertainingare different things, but where
do you fit into wanting to havepeople over?
Jesslyn Adams (16:22):
and enjoying it, for us to host and to be able to
enjoy it and not be drained.
We operate on paper, no matterwhat.
We had Thanksgiving last yearat my house and I said, okay,
we'll get the fancy paper or thefancy plastic, but I don't want
to do extra dishes that can'trelax when they're stacking up
in the sink and be engaged inconversation.
And so, for me, I love to havegames going on to help fill the
(16:44):
conversation.
Kids love it, we love it.
I want to be present.
My best, yes, is actuallyengaging in conversation, and my
husband's actually really great.
I'm more of the person that'sconnecting and he says, hey, you
continue in conversation andI'll start doing the dishes.
And this is the perfect sweetspot because he can kind of go
recharge and do the dishes andnot engage, and I can
continually talk with people.
We sometimes cook for peopleand if it's a busy season, we're
(17:06):
ordering in.
We put that in the budget.
That helps us to say yes tohospitality.
Pam McCune (17:11):
It seems really important to know what fuels you
, what drains you, so you canwork together probably
expectations, but also so you'renot surprised afterwards to say
I'm so depleted.
I was listening to someone thatis really good at entertaining
and she said, truthfully,entertaining is about being all
about the people.
If it helps you be all aboutthe people to have paper plates,
(17:34):
then that's the bestentertaining to do, so you have
the energy to ask them.
Questions is to bring food in,then that's important.
If your love language isserving up the best meal on the
most beautiful fine china, thenwork out of your giftings.
But it's good to know we're alldifferent.
She said that they were invitedover by people that had
forgotten they were coming.
(17:55):
They threw something together,but they were so busy they
didn't ask them one question.
It would have been so muchbetter to call and cancel and
say let's reschedule when we canactually be present.
Yes, beautiful meals areincredible to enjoy, but some of
us might just enjoy a cup ofsoup with good conversation.
How can we set ourselves up tobe about the people this
(18:18):
Christmas season?
Hopefully we really will havepeople in.
Hopefully we're not so drainedto have the perfect house, and
that's a big part of it, jocelyn.
The most important thing is acertain mindset and where our
heart is.
What would you say is?
Jesslyn Adams (18:31):
important, you know.
I think it starts from what wetalked about before savoring the
Savior.
When I spend time with Christand say I have some anxieties
before I get together for afamily gathering or go to a
party and I'm stressed or forgotsomething I was supposed to
bring, I just pray that messyprayer and ask God to come in.
And I love Ephesians 4-2.
(18:52):
It just helps me understandwhere Christ needs to be in my
life and how I need to come intothis gathering or this event.
And it says always be humbleand gentle, be patient with each
other, making allowance foreach other's faults.
Wow, being humble and gentle,patient with each other, making
allowance for each other'sfaults.
I know I have faults.
(19:13):
I know all of us are going tohave faults.
We are broken people.
Coming in with a posture ofhumility changes the dynamic of
the room and allows Christ towork.
The idea of messy prayer, loudtables and open doors create a
vibrant spiritual home.
Pam McCune (19:28):
You can sense that in other people If they're
humble enough to be all about uswhen we walk in.
That's incredible as we thinkabout setting apart this family
time of whoever's in your life.
Okay, I'm going to invitepeople in, I'm going to have
some messy prayer, some maybetable talk loud tables and I'm
going to open my door.
Do some of your familytraditions.
Don't feel like you have tochange them all for other people
(19:50):
.
People love to be invited in toyour traditions.
So, as you think through thisyear, what tradition do I want
to focus on?
Please don't keep addingtraditions till you get to 25.
Some of them you need to putthem on pause for this season to
think what do I have thecapacity to handle?
And then those are thetraditions to try to do.
(20:10):
Jesslyn, did you havetraditions growing up?
Jesslyn Adams (20:14):
We typically went and drove around and looked at
Christmas lights, love to dothat and we started doing that
with our kids.
But we add some Christmas musicin the background, maybe a
little hot cocoa with a lid inthe car, and they love it.
And since we've moved to SanMarcos, texas, they have a
special holiday carnival thatcomes right around at Christmas.
It's called Sights and Sounds.
(20:34):
In local choirs and bandsperform nightly Christmas music.
There's carnival rides andgames and, my favorite, a live
nativity set that they put a lotof work in with live donkeys
and shepherds, all amidst awonderful walk through light
displays.
It lights up the town and itgets us in the holiday spirit.
Pam McCune (20:51):
How brilliant is that?
For somebody else to do all thework, that is maybe the wisest
thing.
Let somebody else do thedecorating, the magical, and you
just get to go experience it asa family, and maybe that's a
fun time to invite somebody elseto come experience it as well.
If you're overwhelmed withputting together the perfect
Christmas tree, go to eventslike this or to stores that do
(21:14):
big, elaborate displays and justgo ahead and go when you're in
your good clothes and they havesomebody.
Come and take a picture and doyour family picture in front of
other people's trees.
It will save your sanity, foryou not having to put all the
pressure on yourself.
If you love putting together aChristmas tree, I think that's
wonderful.
If you have the perfect tree,the perfect tree should be in
(21:36):
your room because you put ittogether.
If you have a family Christmastree, that gets to be in the
family room.
I've seen you.
I know you people that let yourkids decorate and as soon as
they go to bed you redecorate it.
You moved all those ornamentsaround because they needed to be
in the right place.
I understand beauty I really dobut if you are complaining that
your family doesn't want to bea part of the decorating.
(21:58):
It could be, because you're notletting them own it.
Everybody should have a treethat you let them be a part of
and, jesslyn, you know whatthat's like when they're
toddlers.
What does that tree look like?
It is heavy with all theornaments on the bottom, because
that's as far as they can reach.
Yes, it is a challenge tree andthat is that season.
Take a picture of that season,because you might not get that
(22:21):
season back and you want toenjoy the moment.
That's the simplicity of theseason is enjoying each moment
and knowing it's different foreach year.
You'll see who will be with you, who is here, who is not, and
learning to accept it andfinding the delights along the
way.
Here's a hint If you say it'stime to decorate for Christmas
(22:42):
and you're going to bring the 40boxes out of the attic and your
family schedules electivesurgery, you may have gone over
the edge.
They may be afraid of you.
In that situation, I would sayless is more.
Don't stress your family out byyour expectations.
If you can make an environmentthat is sweet, so it's.
The sights of Christmas.
Play some music of the soundsof Christmas.
(23:03):
Sure, if you have a Victrola,put it on.
If you just click Spotify andyou do a playlist, that is
perfect.
You can also add some bells toyour doors.
You know those bells that arehalf round circle.
That just goes over a doorknoband five bells hanging from them
.
Dollar Tree sells them and youcan put those on the door.
So if you forget to ever pushplay, the sounds of Christmas
(23:26):
will always be there for everytime someone goes in or out
during the season.
It's also helpful to know who'scoming in.
As you're wrapping gifts, putthem on your own room doorknob,
or if the teen came in late,it's a helpful tool to know Mmm,
they might have broken curfewtoday.
Do some of the smells?
If you want to bake, yes, butif you just have a candle that
(23:47):
has your favorite smell, lightit up.
These will all trigger theemotions and the senses and then
add some of those taste as well.
Be it you get it at the bakeryor be it you make a mess in the
kitchen.
If you don't want to make amess in the kitchen, feel free
to buy it at the bakery and putit in your plate and go ahead
and drizzle some chocolate ontop so it looks like you do not
have to tell people where yougot it, don't lie.
(24:09):
But when they ask you for therecipe, you just say no, you
don't want to share.
Make it fun, make it matter,but make it fit into what you
can do.
The Bethlehem Star have youheard of this one?
You go out Christmas Eve oranytime the week of Christmas
and you see which star comes outfirst.
Or maybe you notice thebrightest star and you use it as
(24:31):
a moment to talk about theBethlehem Star, the guide and
the wise men all the way toJesus.
Here's the principle that wesay when it comes to teens and
inviting them into the family todo things.
We say low expectations, highsatisfaction.
You need to expect less.
I'm saying hold them toboundaries and hold them to good
(24:52):
things, but don't expect thatthey're going to come bouncing
in eagerly saying we'redecorating the tree tonight.
They may say, huh, we're doingthat again.
And you say, yes, I'm soexcited, we're doing that again.
Whatever your tradition isdecorating the tree, favorite
Christmas movie that you watchyou lay it out with eagerness
(25:14):
and then let them catch up asyou jump into it.
They may not come runningexcited, but usually by the
middle of it.
They're glad to be with,they're glad to know they have a
family or to be invited into afamily that has traditions.
My friend's tradition is towatch the Wizard of Oz.
But they don't just watch theWizard of Oz at Christmas, they
dress in all the parts.
(25:35):
Everybody gets to pick onecharacter and they come dressed
as that part and then whenthey're saying those lines, that
character has to say thoselines.
And for her there was justsomething about a teen coming as
a scarecrow saying if I onlyhad a brain.
Whatever your tradition is,embrace it, be it that yours is
different than anybody else's.
You picked your movie, youenjoy it and you go with it.
Jesslyn Adams (25:58):
So here are three principles to aim at for the
season with kids Be present morethan productive, invest more
time than money, and the bestmemories don't have to be
expensive but intentional.
Pam McCune (26:11):
Hopefully one of these ideas can fit into what
your family looks like, or youcan adapt it.
Set apart family time, make itfun, make it delightful, make it
simple, meaningful andmemorable.
A little boy was waiting forhis dad to come home from work
and he'd been watching out thedoor moment by moment and
finally, when his dad arrived,he ran up to his dad and he said
(26:34):
Daddy, how much money do youmake an hour?
Surprised, and giving his sonthat look, the father said son,
don't bother me right now, I'mtired.
But, daddy, please tell me,please tell me, dad, dad, dad,
how much do you make an hour?
The father, finally, giving up,said $20 an hour.
Okay, okay, daddy, okay, couldyou loan me $10?
(26:58):
His father, positivelyfrustrated and disturbed,
snapped at him and said that'sthe reason you asked me how much
I earn.
You want to borrow money?
Go to sleep and don't bother meanymore.
Well, later the father wasthinking over his words and his
tone and he was feeling prettyguilty, and so he went into his
son's room and he said are youasleep, son?
(27:21):
And the half asleep boy said no, daddy, why?
Here's the money you asked forearlier.
Thanks, daddy.
He put his hand under hispillow and he removed some more
money.
Now I have enough.
Now I have $20.
Daddy, can I buy one hour ofyour time?
Time is precious.
(27:41):
Setting apart our family timemeans much to each and every one
.
Jesslyn Adams (27:48):
We have so much more to explore together, so be
sure to subscribe to our podcast, and if today has inspired or
encouraged you, you can helpothers find us by taking a
moment to give us a review onyour favorite podcast streaming
site.
Pam McCune (28:00):
And as our thanks for joining us here, we invite
you to follow us on Instagram atcalled to shine.
As part of our called to shineInstagram community, you will
get encouragement and ideas tohelp you connect to the people
around you.
Jesslyn Adams (28:14):
And, as always, you can find resources to help
you shine the light of Jesus atmbs2gocom neighbor Bible studies
to go.
In our next episode we get topoint people to Jesus this
season.
Pam McCune (28:26):
We can do that in a myriad of ways of loving them
where they're at and pointingthem to God.
Thanks for joining us today.
We are called to shine.
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