WoF Christmas Carnival Day 7: How does my faith refresh at Christmastime?

As I have gotten older, I've had to deal with the fact that I no longer get the Christmas experience I am used to from my childhood.  Christmas is so magical when you are a child.  But now Christmas means something different to me.  Now I am a Christian and I understand why we truly celebrate this holiday.  I now have more life experiences that make me appreciate what Jesus did for me.  Too often people get caught up in the materialism that seems to have taken over the Christmas season.  I really wish people wouldn't worry so much about presents.
For me, the simplicity of the day is what refreshes my faith.  Presents or not, it really doesn't matter.  All it takes is hearing the story of that miraculous birth for me to feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  It doesn't matter how well you know the story of the birth of Jesus, it touches your heart every time.  And spending the day surrounded by family solidifies how much God has blessed me.

*This post is part of a blog carnival.  To see the original post please click here.*

WoF Christmas Carnival Day 6: You might be a military spouse at Christmas if...

having your husband home is all you want for Christmas.
I've been lucky in the fact my husband hasn't missed Christmas.  Birthday and anniversaries, sure but so far he has always been home for Christmas.  Last year's deployment (which was our first deployment) ended the week of Thanksgiving but had they stayed for their full 400 days he would have missed Christmas.  I was so thankful to have him home.  I know when we say "I Do" to our soldiers, we know that sometimes they are going to have to be gone.  That's just the reality we live with as military spouses.  But that doesn't change the fact that regardless of my husband's obligations, I'd always much rather have him home.  He was my favorite Christmas present last year.  He'll always be my favorite Christmas present.

*This post is part of a blog carnival.  To read the original post please click here.*

WoF Christmas Carnival Day 5: What Christmas Means to Me

Christmas has always meant a time of togetherness to me.  I did not grow up in church, nor do I really remember God being talked about.  My Nanny used to make me go to church when we were visiting Oklahoma but that wasn't often.  I didn't start going to church until I was in high school so I don't remember Christmas being "Jesus' Birthday".  I will admit that decorating is a blast and presents are nice but its not what I look forward to.  When I look forward to Christmas, its the time with family that is my favorite part.  Well and the food.  Now that I have a child of my own and am very involved in church, I do want to make sure she knows why Christmas is really celebrated.  Christmas really is meant to celebrate Jesus' birthday.  We'll figure out how we're going to do that once we start putting our own Christmas traditions in place.

*This post is part of a blog carnival.  To read the original post please click here.*

WoF Christmas Carnival Day 4: My Grown Up Christmas List

The goal of this post is to compile a "Grown Up Christmas List" based on the song by Amy Grant.  I had never heard the song before preparing for this post but it is a beautiful song about non-material things she wants for Christmas.  However, the things aren't for herself, they are for a world that is in need.  Here is my own "Grown Up Christmas List"...

- I would like everyone to support our troops regardless of whether they support the war.  Our military don't call the shots, our government does.  They deserve your support for doing their job and putting their lives on the line.  It shouldn't matter whether you agree with the reasons we're at war or not.
- I wish that all children were loved and cherished.  It breaks my heart when children are abused or have to suffer in some way.  I know that it is all in God's plan but it doesn't make it any easier to hear.
- I want society to quit making it so hard for our youth to stay pure.  I am youth staff at my church and I don't like watching them make the same mistakes I made.  As a teenager I went through a suicidal phase and had no one there to support me.  I also lost my virginity at the age of fifteen.  I try to be there for the youth but society today makes it so difficult.

It is a short list but it is all that is on my heart right now.  This world needs so much intervention but you have to start small.  Thankfully we have a big God and everything on my list is possible through him.

*This post is part of a blog carnival.  To read the original post please click here.*

WoF Christmas Carnival Day 3: The Worst Christmas Song Ever

Honestly,
I really can't think of a Christmas song that drives me nuts.  Now I do get tired of Christmas music fairly easily but when I am in the mood to listen to Christmas music I like most of it.  I wish I had something better to post but alas, no such luck.  Thankfully there are four more days in the blog carnival.

*This post is a part of a blog carnival.  To read the original post please click here.*

WoF Christmas Carnival Day 2: Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without...

Family.
Like a lot of people today, I come from a split family.  My parents divorced before I was born and separated when I was eight years old (yea confusing I know).  But even with my parents separated and eventually living in different states, I always spent Christmas day with family.  Now obviously that involved going to more than one place so that I could see both sides of the family but being all together in one place (or two or three) is what made me really feel the spirit of Christmas.   For one day (or two if you count Christmas Eve) life was simple.  You just had to show up and be yourself.  Nothing else mattered but being together and eating.  All stress seemed to disappear for the short amount of time you got to be together.
Sadly, now that I live in Tennessee, I don't get to see my family as often as I would like since they live mostly in Oklahoma and Missouri.  I only go to see them every other Christmas so that my husband also has a chance to see his family which lives here.  But even on the years that we stay local we still spend the day with my husband's family.
Now don't get me wrong, presents are nice but Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without family.

*This post is part of a blog carnival.  To read the original post please click here.*

WoF Christmas Carnival Day 1: My Favorite Christmas Decoration

Sadly, my husband and I really do not decorate for Christmas.  Money has always been tight and we haven't really been able to buy Christmas decorations.  We plan to eventually purchase decorations, especially since Christmas is my husband's favorite holiday.  My husband also hopes that eventually we will host Christmas at our home.  Well once we have a home and are no longer living in an apartment.
Anyways, back to the point of this post.  Because my husband and I have yet to establish our own Christmas decor or tradition, I am going to talk about the decoration I liked best as a child.  When I was younger, and my parents were still living together, we would always decorate the tree as a family.  One year we even video taped the event although I have no idea where that video is now.  My favorite decoration that went on the tree was the silver icicle tinsel.  I loved how messy it was and how it got every where.  My parents hated using it but it was my absolute favorite.  They always had to remind me to be careful with it.  You could only hang a couple of strands at a time or you would end up with these tangles clumps of silver all over the place.
I have wonderful memories of draping that stuff on the tree.  I miss those days but hope to recapture those types of traditions before my daughter is old enough to remember Christmas.

*This post is a part of a blog carnival.  To read the original post please click here.*