a good balance

 Tinsel was hanging out in Hunter's room today. I think she liked that is was quiet in there.

 Hannah made this manger and star yesterday. She wanted to act out the Christmas story but Hunter would not be Joseph for her so she never got to act it out. She had a blue towel for her head piece and a brown one for Hunter. She said she did not have enough people to have the shepherds, wise men or any animals. I told her that was fine she would just pretend. I love that she is so creative and loves to tell stories by acting them out.

Yesterday our preacher posted this on Facebook:

Parents, do you put as much time/energy/planning/intentionality into disciplining ur children as u do on "elf on the shelf"?

 

When I first read it it made me a little mad. I thought about it all day. Derrick and I are not perfect parents by any means but we try very hard to point our children to Jesus and to teach them that He is not only our savior but our Heavenly Father.  I was talking to our preschool minister this morning about it. I showed her the picture of Tinsel holding baby Jesus. She told me I should show it to Mark. After church I did and I told him that we are trying to balance keeping Jesus the center of Christmas with traditions we want to have for our family. He said that he understood that. I told him thanks for making me think and for understanding that you can do elf on the shelf and Santa and still have Jesus in Christmas. 

 

I am not sure why I felt like I needed to share this, but maybe someone who reads our blog needs to hear it.