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3rd Day of Christmas Giveaways with Summer Saldana

12 Days of Christmas at KarenEhman.com

Welcome to the 3rd Day of Christmas Giveaways!!!

Summer is giving away a Gratitude Journal and will be sharing how she is keeping it intentional this Christmas season. Summer is one of those women who certainly isn’t trying to hide anything — except maybe what is behind her beloved bangs.

Summer Saldana She is refreshingly open about her mommy meltdowns (she has 2 children, but one is strong willed, so it’s more like 4), her faith, and her obsession with thrift store shopping and makeup/skincare hauls.But whether it’s through writing, speaking, or sharing her health, beauty and fashion tips on YouTube, Summer’s greatest passion & hope is that through these bonds of beauty, deeper connections and friendships are created! Connect with Summer Saldana on her Blog or on You Tube.

To join in on the fun and be entered to win this prize, simply leave a comment on the post answering the question of the day. ALSO—one grand prize will be given to one person who comments on all 12 days.

The Grand Prize is a $50 gift certificate to Proverbs 31 Ministries store and a $50 gift certificate to Amazon.com!!!

Now, here is Summer to offer you today’s post…

Season of Intentionality

My Favorite Christmas Tradition…has become more about a change within our hearts, than it has been about a change in our activities.

Recently my pastor preached through the beginning of John 12, specifically on the moment between Jesus & Mary, when she took a pound of expensive ointment, and used every last drop to wash the feet of Jesus with her own hair. All throughout the message, he stressed to us that it wasn’t the gift, or the cost or even her welfare that was the point, rather it was her focus…her aim…her intention… And Mary’s was simply to worship and serve the Lord she loved.

He ended the message with the reminder that in all things our focus, our goal, our aim…must be one of worship, intentional worship with all of our heart, mind and strength.

Of course this biblical truth applies to our lives in all times and all seasons, but it was especially meaningful to me during this Christmas season as well.

One Christmas, long ago (okay, only a few years, but still…), we missed the meaning…we missed the purpose. We got caught up in the plans and the bustle and the shopping and the spending and the need, want, must buy nows!!! And we realized one Christmas morning, when we had proudly accomplished giving our children what we believed was, “THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!!!”….that maybe more was not necessarily better. Our children were unsatisfied and left with a feeling of want, even when there were piles and piles of gifts and wrapping paper surrounding them.

We knew in that moment that we needed to refocus the Season on what really matters.

The first change we implemented was to adopt a new tradition. Rather than spending on an abundance of gifts, we purchased only four per child…
“Something you want,
something you need,
something to wear,
and something to read.”

Each year they get one affordable gift per category, nothing more, and never have I seen my babies more satisfied and content.

With this change and many others, Christmas has become to our family not a season of getting, but a season of intentionality.

It’s a sweet precious time to slow down, take notice of those around us, serve, give, love and spend time with the ones God has blessed our lives with. We try not to focus so much on our needs or wants, but instead remember that we get a whole month specifically dedicated to reminding us of the Ultimate One we worship and serve.

And so, I would love to encourage you all to take what often becomes a season of need, greed and busy, and instead start a new tradition of making it a season of intentionality and worship.

Whatever you do, whatever you give, whatever you say, whatever you fill your time with….remember the aim, the goal, the purpose….is worship to our King.

“The aim of our welfare should be worship, not welfare.”
-Pastor Matt Smith

What new traditions can you guys start this season or even in your daily life to bring about more of a heart of worship in your own family? Share your ideas below! A winner will be selected from the comments.

Gratitude Journal Giveaway Image

Today’s Giveaway:

As a way to cultivate a heart of thankfulness, intentionality and worship, Summer will be generously giving away this beautiful Gratitude Journal by Catherine Price.

***All the winners will be announced Tuesday, December 22.***

Giveaway at KarenEhman.com 12 Days of Christmas

 

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189 Comments

  1. One thing that I do year round, and rally like doing this time of year is random acts of kindness. I never realized how much I did this until we were in lounge for coffee one day, about to pull out, when my teenage daughter looked at me oddly and asked why I wasn’t getting coffee for the car behind me :) she DOES pay attention to what I do!

  2. I do pray that I would be more intentional with gifts and not get things to just “to give” but rather something that reflects Christ or to even pray over the gifts I purchase.

  3. I would love for my family to take the time to volunteer somewhere. Both of my kids are finally at an age where they are able to start understanding what our monetary donations are for (helping those who don’t have as much as us). With all the hustle and bustle of our preparations for the holidays, it would be great to just slow down long enough for us all to give our time and talents to help those in need. My kids would love this!

  4. We are volunteering at our church to serve in outreach programs this Christmas… nothing like serving others brings such a happy heart..

  5. I want to take the emphasis off of decorating, big meals, and present buying (although there is NOTHING wrong with those things if you love them!) and put it more on time together, laughter, and giving back to others

  6. My girls only receive 3 gifts under the tree Christmas morning (because the wise men brought 3 gifts to Jesus). My girls (7, 10 and 13) are making gifts for one another. They look forward so much to all the gatherings with family and friends in this season. Most importantly, my oldest has given an example by doing an Advent You Version devotion during this season. It’s inspiring.

  7. Posted in reply:
    Our tradition has always been to open our house to those our adult children bring home because they have no place to go. I think I would like to send them each home with homemade goodies and a Christmas candle to remind them of the Light of Christmas.

  8. What a great idea: “Something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read.” I’m going to approach my husband about that idea. We try not to get caught up in the hype of all the gifts and to-do’s, but sometimes we do, so this would be a good way for not only us but also our children to refocus their attention where it belongs. Thanks for sharing. I might ‘steal’ :)

  9. I love the idea of gratitude journal. We try to cultivate the heart of worship during the season by listening to worship music throughout the baking of cookies to share.

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