Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.

Advent Day #11 and Pastor Michael is prompting us to think of childhood memories with this quote:
"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time." –Laura Ingalls Wilder

I am not sure how far away I actually am from my childhood.  Maybe that is why I love the Christmas season so much, because it gives me an excuse to be more like a kid.  I mean one of the highlights of my week has been playing on stage with the Middle School and Junior High Bands at my kids' school.  Someone's mom asked me when will I ever graduate off that stage....I kinda hope never.  A prompt today was to try to remember something from my childhood that I have forgotten....and I remember a lot (maybe too much), but one thing I think I probably have forgotten is the anticipation of impending gifts.  Probably because I really do not NEED anything these days other than the mundane items like clothes and such....but I am trying to remember wanting a toy and waiting, waiting, waiting, and the excitement of Christmas coming and the day of impending gift-opening....that has been lost for me.  But, if you are going to lose something from Christmas, the materialistic parts are probably good to lose.  I do love now GIVING a lot better than I used to,  I love watching OTHER people open their presents and seeing the joy on their faces.  I like creating childlike responses in others, I guess.  The last part of the prompt today was to think of the discussion of childishness and childlike.  To me, childishness focuses on immaturity, while childlike focuses on the joy and innocence of childhood.  I try to connect more to the latter and work hard not to be the former.

The Psalm today was Psalm 139.  I love this Psalm because it focuses on how God knows us and what we can do to become closer to knowing about God.  To me, I experience being close to God whenever I see a kid smile or laugh.  So Christmas is a good time for me to experience this many times a day!