Little House has been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl. I love everything about it. Christmas at Plum Creek is perfect. It really is. It details the Ingalls first Christmas in Walnut Grove. They had nothing. It is simple and so, so beautiful, the way they celebrate Christmas. Very few gifts. Just a warm home, candy sticks and eachother. I wish my children could experience something so profoundly simple. I don't know that it's possible in 2011. The Ingalls work and save and sacrifice to put gifts under the tree. Ultimately, in the end, the gifts don't even matter. They love the Lord and they love their family. I am a weepy mess, every time I watch.
We watched both of these together last week. I love them so much. I love Willy Krueger and the love and softness that just ooze out of him. I especially love the scene where he sees the Christ child. I love how he speaks to Him. How he adores Him. I have watched it probably 35 times, and I never tire of it. I am moved every time. I recommit, in my mind, to strengthen my personal relationship with my Savior.
Today was a little rough. I am trying to wrap up all my loose Christmas ends for my husband and kids. Do I have enough? Will they be excited Christmas morning? I am dragging Margaret along with me everywhere. She has decided this month that it is time to assert herself when we go shopping. Gone are the days of just a few weeks ago, when she would happily sit in the front of the cart, buckle herself in, and smile as we weaved through aisles. Each store we visited today got progressively worse, until by the end, we were both crying and frustrated. It makes me tired and resentful. I know that is what Satan wants. He wants me to feel overwhelmed and miss what is happening . Miss my children coming home with a million stories from school, miss them planning their Secret Santa gifts for eachother, miss the peace I SHOULD be feeling. Well, I am not going to miss it. I am going to slow down when I need to. Say "no" when I need to. And watch a lot more movies by the light of our tree.
5 comments:
:) Well said. I think you are terrific and we are all feeling this way. Thanks for the reminder to slow down and EXPERIENCE the Savior at Christmas. Thanks again for the talk. xo.
What a fun tradition to watch these sweet sweet shows. I really think I need to watch more Little House on the Prairie and less HGTV.
:)
Christmas seemed 'simpler' when I was little. I think my parents felt stress, too, but did a wonderful job of making Christmas feel peaceful for us kids. I think that's probably the same for most. I know these traditions you've started with your children will remind them, when they are older, of how 'peaceful' Christmas was for them. Now if we could just figure it out for ourselves...I still haven't found a solution. :)
I have never seen Little House Christmas and now I am going to see if I can find it on Netflix.
I had the same feelings you expressed when I read those books to my children a couple of years ago.
Post a Comment