Who’s ready for some food??? I am!!!

Turkey, ham, dressing, green beans, corn, mashed potatoes, chicken casserole, and all the pies you can dream of. What a day tomorrow will be!

Are you salivating over it right now? Gosh, I’m too pumped. What I wouldn’t give to be eating that right now. Maybe that is the problem, though. Maybe I would give anything.

This is the time of the year where idolatry begins to be at an all time high. Think about how hard you cook and how hard you work to get everyone together. What about from now until Christmas? How hard will you work to get your children the best gifts?

What about you, kids? Are you going to throw a temper tantrum because you don’t get what you want for Christmas?

Please understand this is not a guilt trip. I just want to challenge the way you think about the holidays.

What are you willing to give up to have the perfect Thanksgiving? To have the perfect Christmas?

“When the Lord your God cuts off before you the nations whom you go in to disposes, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, take care that you be not ensnared to follow them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods?–that I also may do the same.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.” (Deuteronomy 12:29-31 ESV)

I hope you read that entire passage. That is crazy. Basically God is warning his people not to follow the ways of the people they are coming into contact with because that is what he has commanded.

When you follow the ways of the people you come in contact with, it becomes idolatry. Your focus turns away from God, and it begins to turn towards cooking the perfect meal or getting the perfect gift.

Here are some tips for the holiday season:

  1. Don’t get overwhelmed. If your holiday experience is overshadowed by too much driving or worrying about getting to places on time, then you need to loosen up your schedule. You won’t enjoy your family if you are burned out once you get there.
  2. Be careful with finances. It can be so easy to spend more than you have for your kids. Think about this: the $60 game you bought for your child last year, does he still play it? Probably not. He has asked for the new version this year, right? Wait and buy it when you can budget it.
  3. Begin a budget for next year. If you know your child will ask for a new, expensive game for next year, put back a little bit every month so you won’t take a hit next year.
  4. Pray with your families. Thanksgiving is meant for QUALITY time with your family. Christmas is meant for celebrating the birth of Jesus. Either one gives you time with family. Pray with them. Love on them. Enjoy them.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow! May God bless your time with friends and family!