Traditions

“It’s the most -- wonderful time -- of the year …” Have you heard this song lately? I can hear the melody playing in my head with the jingle of bells and sense the wiggly giggly feeling it stirs. Along with that theme a familiar word eventually surfaces … Tradition.

Since my husband's roots are deep, deep in South Louisiana where Cajun food originated, one fine dish traditionally on our table during the holidays is gumbo! This soup like entree has created a few chuckles in our family through the years, especially when we had my sister-in-law absolutely convinced the brown liquid base of it was drawn directly from the muddy bayous. Fortunately for us, she did not lose her half eaten dinner, though it was a little uncertain there for a while!

A few years later we learned that sometimes traditions just do not work out. I don't have to tell you what it's like putting the puzzle pieces of a family together, especially during the Christmas season. But our family puzzle was quite interesting this particular year ...

As it happened, we were maintaining two households. My husband's job had relocated him out of state. My job frequently kept me traveling while our high school aged children were learning about life without daily parental involvement. Piecing together travel time, meal time, family time, expenses and on and on the list went, we found ourselves simply out of time to prepare Christmas dinner. Because of travel schedules, we had our Christmas dinner at a fast food Italian restaurant! Having carried a secret internal pressure to produce the prize pot of gumbo for each Christmas dinner, my husband apologized and hung his head.

To our surprise, this became one of our fondest Christmas memories. I marveled at the thought, considering the time and labor we invested through the years to prepare just the right meal. Yet what we really enjoyed was something different - simply all of us together celebrating Jesus, whose birth, death and resurrection paved the way for our relationship with God. And all of this over a non-traditional meal!

As I considered the memory, I thought about this:

Do not sore up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19-21 NIV

Um … where your treasure is, there you heart will be also. Only later did I realize our hearts simply were not in traditions. Instead our hearts were invested in one another and in celebrating Jesus.

Do you enjoy family traditions? Or are your holidays filled with non-traditional events? More importantly, where is your heart during this time, “the most wonderful time of the year?” What memories are you making along the way that will bring smiles and chuckles to you in the years to come?

I’d love to hear about where God is leading your heart! Drop me an email or leave a comment ...
Merry Christmas!

Tanja Dufrene
Women’s Ministries
Highpointe Church - OKC