How can we make Christmas new when we’ve celebrated this holiday so many times? We begin by being fully present.
I’ve already been to the Hidden Villa Farm.
That’s what I thought when CJ’s Mommy-and-Me class announced a field trip for our two-year-olds.
Years back, I had taken the same excursion with my now-six-year old son TJ.
This was not your local petting zoo. This was a real farm, people! Open for “educational” purposes.
The highlight for all the kids, of course, were the farm animals.
But, this mommy mostly recalled memories of tracking down those cute toddlers, who were following those very animals through chicken cages, pig pens, and sheep fields — made up of straw mixed with wet mud.
And manure. Everywhere.
I obviously could not deprive my second child of the same wonderful childhood experience as the first, so I dressed to battle the elements. I wore boots ready for mud, gloves for both of us and armed myself with Purell.
None of it made a difference this second time around.
I thought I had already seen it all.
But, CJ taught me more than a thing or two about being fully present.
Being Fully Present
I was wrong. I haven’t seen it all…
Taste.
I had never seen CJ’s face crinkle like so, with his first taste of super sour rhubarb, cut straight from the earth and light up the next minute with the sweet tart of pomegranate.
Touch. I never knew CJs fingers could touch so gently, as he placed his hand warm over the hen, lifting her soft feathers out of curiosity with every stroke.
See.
I had told CJ to keep his mitten on. Yet, I saw him tug it away because he saw some fuzzy leaves and was naturally drawn to touch them.
Hear.
I didn’t know CJ’s favorite farm animal was sheep until I heard him giggle with delight, do a muddy dance, and then surprised everyone — by planting a kiss on the animal!
Smell.
This time around, when the manure became overpoweringly intense, I was simply struck in amazement at our Jesus.
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How could Jesus arrive this way?
How could Mary’s first birth experience be like this?
Jesus wanted to be fully present.
In all of our human experience.
He is calling you and me to draw near to Him fully present too.
If only we dare to step closer — in our fully human self — we can unwrap Jesus in our moments.
As is.
There is no moment too raw, too ordinary, too simple or too complicated to escape His attraction to us.
Don’t hold back any part.
Be present.
Fully — as is.
Hope This Christmas
By the time our farm tour ended, our gloves had come off and our pants dirtied with mud and you-know-what.
I smiled wide, eyes bright with the joy of soul-laughter.
Parents around me probably were wondering why in the world I was so happy throughout the tour, laughing and curious just like my two-year-old.
Because you see — God showed me, through my time on the farm, that He knew what my hope this Christmas is —
I want to be fully present.
I want to unwrap Jesus in every open space and every corner that I can.
No need to stress to make Christmas meaningful.
It turns out: you really can’t walk through a farm — being fully present — without getting the farm on you.
And so it is: you and I can’t walk through this Christmas season — being fully present with Jesus — without Jesus unwrapping in us too.
In the coming 25 days, let’s be available.
taste. touch. see. hear. smell.
This time around — this Christmas — we can have more of Jesus.
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How is God calling you to be more fully present this season?
What are your hopes for this Christmas?
Pull up a chair. I savor your thoughts and your stories. Click to share a comment.
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*** NOW, IT’S YOUR TURN — FAITH BARISTA JAM! ***
This Thursday’s Topic 12/1: What are your hopes for Christmas?
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** Special December Series: Unwrapping Jesus**
Next Thursday & every Thursday in December, our writing prompt is: Unwrapping JesusTake The Faith Barista Challenge: Unwrapping Jesus
If you’re looking to unwrap Jesus in a new way this month, join me and take the Faith Barista Challenge this month.
Keep a lookout for:
*1. Ways to celebrate Christmas simply.
*2. Inspiring moments that fill you with God’s love, joy, peace, or hope.
*3. Encouragement to see Christmas in a new way.
*4. A Fresh Take on the Gift of Jesus.
Who knows? Maybe you’ll get a special message you didn’t expect.
On second thought, if you take up the journey — I know you will.
It’s a jam session. As time allows, say hi & drop a comment when visiting the community faith blends!
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30 Comments
I will be talking with the women in my church about this exact same thing this Sunday. God gave us five senses, and we use all of them in our relationships with one another. I’m thinking He gave them to us that we might know Him better as well. I love that your son kissed the sheep!
My unwrapping Jesus this year is to remember the “God With Us” of the incarnation. Oh How I have forgotten that simple truth === and it could save me such heartache
Oh Bonnie, I smiled along with you as I viewed your photos and read your words. Children are such a gift from the Lord. Being totally present with them as they experience life is amazing! At our school I see too many parents on their cell phones and texting when their child is holding out their arms to them. It’s so sad.
I want to experience Christmas in the same way too. It helps me take life moment by moment abiding in Him. It takes practice and prayer.
Sorry I haven’t linked up lately as work has been busy. I miss doing so. But I hope to write a few posts in advance this weekend and I’m eager to link up with your Christmas jam sessions.
Blessings and love,
Debbie
What a wonderful story of being present. I love it, Bonnie. And the pictures match your words so perfectly. Thanks for the reminder for us all to live “present” this season.
Bonnie, I am not sure how I stumbled across your blog yesterday, but I am so thankful that God put it in my internet surfing path! I subscribed yesterday and when I opened my email this morning, I received such a blessing from your post. I smiled with every word and photo and felt all my senses come alive for Jesus! You have certainly shed some new light in upwrapping Jesus with me today. I also shared your blog post with my iStudy Group. I lead a group of ladies in a daily study and encouragement via internet resources. I know God will use you and your words to speak to so many today.
Be Blessed!
Tonya
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I love this story Bonnie. This is a great lesson in childlike faith and wonder. The image of the manure really struck me. Who wants to be in the manure? I got a clear sense that our sins are just as odious to God, but he loves us so much that he’s willing to deal with our “manure” and clean us up. No matter how bad things are, God is present with his people. What an encouraging word.
This post (and the upcoming ones) is so timely, Bonnie. Money is very, very tight this year and I will be blessed if I can just get my two grandkids presents. So keeping the Spirit of Christmas is the best thing yet. I recently saw a picture on Yahoo of a lot of Palestinian children out in the desert forming the shape of a dove. The picture was taken from the air so you could see the entire dove and all the children standing in their places to form its shape. I then realized that there are probably cultures in the world that celebrate Christmas in the true spirit of it and probably don’t give presents to each other at all and getting involved in the over-the-top commercialism of the season is completely unknown to them and might even be looked upon as strange. I wonder what they had that we don’t because of the way they celebrate in the Spirit. So maybe we all can find out as we “unwrap” your posts every day.
[…] will you allow God to use you to bring hope to others this Christmas? I’m linking up with Bonnie, the Faith Barista, where we are unwrapping Jesus the month of December. Will you join […]
Beautiful post, Bonnie. You have blessed me today. Thank you.
Beautiful post Bonnie. I want to live my life fully present, taking Him all in — smell, taste, touch, all of my senses awake to His touch. I want to live fully so that I can bring hope and fullness to others.
I tend to get lost in my own little world and generally find it hard to remain fully present in the moment. I think your idea of employing all the senses is a fantastic way to combat a wandering mind. Thanks for the inspiration, Bonnie.
Oh, I love this story! Everyone experiences the world so differently, don’t they? I enjoyed the pictures of your son exploring the farm and showing you all kinds of things.
beautiful ~ want to be open and intentional and at peace this Christmas season – 1 day at a time
So sweet (I love all the pictures!). I think “being present” is something that is missing from my life this season. I’m changing that. There is too much to miss this time of year- too much for God to show me. We’re celebrating His life-changing birth- I have to stay “awake” for that. 🙂
It refreshed my heart to read all you were able to enjoy in being mindful. The little things you discovered about CJ through mindful attention. Your love for him spilled onto this page and into my heart.
I pray for the kind of mindfulness that allows to truly see, let in, and share. Thank You Bonnie.
CJ is so cute! I love the photos you shared here. So much story in them all.
Just beautiful, Bonnie. What we learn from God through our children — it’s such a blessing. I’m a farm girl, so I love the sights and sounds (and even some of the smells!) of a farm, and you’re right… there’s nothing like a farm and a child to help you be fully present!
Beautiful thoughts – I loved reading this, especially “Jesus wanted to be fully present. In all of our human experience.” And I pray these thoughts will be true for me this busy season – to seek to be fully present, and to fully enjoy His Presence.
I was just told there was a free ticket to the Womens Fellowship Christmas Dinner at a Tea room we all love. I am so thankful it was offered to me. I need a little mom time with the gals. The cool thing is that last year I spoke to the women about unwrapping Jesus. I told them not to stop unwrapping Him, and that if they have not in a while, I challenged them to open a new demension of Him. I told them how my then four- year-old daughter opened her gift with such excitement, and that is how we should be when we unwrap Jesus. I loved your post. I am going to the Christmas Dinner and I am going to be fully present. Don’t you love it when our children remind us how to live. Blessings.
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I actually wrote about this today. This is the first time in my life that I am fully and intentionally celebrating Advent, so it has been interesting to see the season from this perspective so far. I have never really been one for stressing over Christmas but this year I want it to be a reflecting season for me, and of how God gave us the most precious gift ever.
The idea of being fully present – it sounds easy but it is hard for me to live out. I get distracted so easily! Thanks for this tip about engaging all the senses. I think that will really help me as I seek to be less stressed and more present, with God, this season.
Hmmm…Bonnie…this is so good! And it challenges me this Christmas….thank you for this prompt and your encouraging words here.
“This Christmas, we can have more of Jesus”–love that! Awesome post, Bonnie! “We can’t be fully present in this season with Jesus without Jesus unwrapping in us, too”–what a wonderful way to put it! Yes, that’s what I hope for–that in this season, Jesus will unwrap in me and in all of us! Here’s to being fully present in each and every moment! Being fully present to all of the grace available to us in every moment–yay!
Oh Bonnie: Kids are the perfect way to remind us that we need to open our eyes to really see (again) the world around us and the good things in it. We become so jaded…I really enjoyed seeing your little ones enjoy their time on the farm……The message of the manger never gets old! Love and blessings to you for encouraging us to unwrap Jesus all over again. Lori
We are doing something truly radical for us this year and visiting Disney with the children the week before Christmas. Now I know this isn’t a “simple” observation by definition but we live in rural and very simple upstate NY complete with chickens, and all day I work in a big scary investment bank surrounded by total grownups…I love the way Disney makes everything child-focused and wonderful and I’m looking forward to see what they do with Christmas festivities. Realizing I probably won’t see a single Nativity scene while I’m there. BUT…we are WAY hyped up over Jesus’s birthday and the country Christmas we always have…our traditions are fairly muted on the presents and our Christmas is always very family and church-focused…this is a wild departure for us and I’m going to find JESUS all over Disney even if they didn’t put Him there on purpose.
PS Your son is beautiful and precious and I’m so glad you posted pictures of him. What a wonderful little man you have.
We can learn so much from children can’t we. To be fully present with child-like faith and wonder. Thanks for sharing Bonnie. And what an adorable little guy you have.
I decided that after I proof my novel today and give to my critiquers that I am just going to be present the rest of the year to enjoy Christmas. Sometimes, I’m a real workaholic. So here’s to being present as the snow falls, lights blinking in the dark, and friends like you all, having coffee with me this morning. Merry Christmas!
I just wanted you to know I used one of your quotes in my last post on Heart Choices titled “The Reason I Can Thrive”. Thank you for touching my heart Bonnie.
Blessings and love,
Debbie