focus – Homespun Sugar

An Intentional Christmas

Michelle Underwood God is Good December 10, 2021January 21, 2022advent, Christmas, focus, message interpretation, Passover, tradition, worship 0 Comment

Jesus is the sweetness of life perfected. He is the most beautifully wrapped gift ever given. His light glows brighter than the most extravagant Christmas tree. He is Christmas!

December 1, 2021 – Wednesday

As December arrives, our family embraces the opportunity to celebrate with the world the priceless night, over 2000 years ago, when Love came down and rescued us. Love gave up His throne for a manger and the perfection of heaven for the imperfection of this fallen world. Yes, we celebrate His birth! But even more significantly, we celebrate the reason why He came! It’s the most amazing rescue story of all time. Love came down to rescue us so that through Him we could have life and we could have it abundantly.

I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect - life in its fullness until you overflow! John 10:10, TPT

Since my children were very small, I have prayed for wisdom on how to keep Christmas holy. Christmas as the world knows it, is not biblical. But, the story of Christmas is (Luke 2). Unlike Passover and other biblical feasts, there are no guidelines in the Bible on how to celebrate this historic occasion. Yet… the world cannot resist. At the very heart of Christmas is the desire to celebrate the King! It is what we were born to do. We cannot contain ourselves. Whether we realize it or not, we were made to worship Him. It is woven into the very fabric of our being.

Oh come let us adore Him!
Christ the Lord!

We have the right message! Worship! His birth is indeed praise worthy. It is our interpretation of that message we must seek wisdom on. Christmas is as intentional as we make it. The more we seek Him, the more we find Him (Jer 29:13)! Worship without intention is simply tradition. We can trim the tree, wrap the presents, and turn on the carols all without even thinking about Jesus if we are not careful.

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. (Jer 29:13, ESV)

As we acknowledge Jesus through worship, we not only honor Him, but defeat the powers of darkness in our life. Worship is one of our most powerful weapons – that is why the enemy works so hard diminish its presence in the world. The primary tool he uses - distraction. Anyone ever feel a little distracted during December? We get so busy and distracted that we often crowd out the space we purposed to make for the King! Distraction and busyness arn't something reserved for December. It is an everyday, all year thing. It has become so familiar, we scarcely even recognize it.

Intentionality requires focus. If we want to be intentional about Christmas – we need to focus on Jesus. If we want to be intentional in life – we need to focus on Jesus. Have you ever sang an entire worship song, your thoughts trailing with distraction? We can even miss the worship in worship! Ugh. The battle is real y’all!

Do it ALL for His glory

Worship is a posture of the heart. It can and should be a part of ALL we do! Colossians 3:23 instructs us to “put your heart and soul into every activity you do, as though you are doing it for the Lord himself and not merely for others”. We should do it ALL for the glory of the Lord (1 Cor 10:31). Jesus is in the details. He is in the generosity and giving of a special gift, the soft glow of the lights, the love that goes into home baked treats, and the holiness of the most beloved carols. The traditions of Christmas are indeed infused with the Spirit of Christmas – for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. He is gentle and humble (Matt 11:29) - we can miss Him if we aren’t careful. His holiness demands our worship – yet He never will. Because Jesus longs for relationship – He woos us without forcing us.

²³Put your heart and soul into every activity you do, as though you are doing it for the Lord himself and not merely for others. ²⁴For we know that we will receive a reward, an inheritance from the Lord, as we serve the Lord Yahweh, the Anointed. (Col 3:23-24, TPT)

So then, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of [our great] God. (1 Cor 10:31, AMP)

But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. (Matt 13:16, NASB)

Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me. (Matt 11:29, TPT)

Rest assured… there is no place Jesus won’t meet us!! Whatever the Christmas traditions of your family – I can assure you that Jesus is there. You just need to look for Him. Yes… I know there are pagan roots and materialism woven into many of our beloved traditions. So let’s redeem them! The enemy loses his grip on anything that is saturated with the goodness of God. As we intentionally seek Him in all we do, we will find Him.

The traditions we choose to embrace with our family should be used to glorify the Lord. Some are holy. Some are fun. Some are yummy. Some have been passed down through many generations. It isn’t the traditions that make Christmas holy, it is the presence of God. Love, peace, hope and joy… that’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown. Our traditions should honor our Savior - be full of love, bring peace, restore hope and overflow with joy! If they do… we are on the right track.

Frosty or a manger on the front lawn? Santa or no Santa? Elf or no elf? Decorations before or after the first of December? White or multicolored lights? Gingerbread or sugar cookies? Eggnog or hot cocoa? Gifts to the needy or visit a nursing home? Stay home or travel? The decisions are endless… So is His presence.

Folks – I have a news flash for you. It isn’t really about how we adorn Christmas. It is whether or not we adore Christmas! It isn’t the red and green He is after… it is our hearts. So do what you love and do it ALL for the glory of God. Chances are that your traditions reflect the beautiful qualities that make you… you! That is why your traditions are your traditions. Look a little closer and trust me… you will find Him there. Then do it ALL for His glory.

The world adorns Christmas with glowing lights, beautiful gift wrap, and sugary sweets. Pretty fitting if you ask you me. Jesus is the sweetness of life perfected. He is the most beautifully wrapped gift ever given. His light glows brighter than the most extravagant Christmas tree. The traditions of Christmas may at first glance appear to be of the world, but with unveiled eyes we see the beauty of our King. Much like a mirror, as we see Him in the details, we will start to reflect Him to the world.

The traditions of Christmas reflect the heart of our King, and are inspired by our design to worship Him! Worship is at the very heart of Christmas. As we adorn Christmas, let us also adore Christmas. Travel with me down the road less traveled this Christmas. There is a star shining bright in the sky that will light our path.

“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” (Matt 2:2, NASB)

Finding Jesus in the Details...

If you choose to hang lights… do it with joy. Do it with intentionality. Do it for the glory of God. Declare that your home is a city on hill, a lamp upon a stand, shining bright for all to see His goodness in our land.

14 “Your lives light up the world. For how can you hide a city that stands on a hilltop? 15 And who would light a lamp and then hide it in an obscure place? Instead, it’s placed where everyone in the house can benefit from its light. 16 So don’t hide your light! Let it shine brightly before others, so that your commendable works will shine as light upon them, and then they will give their praise to your Father in heaven.”

Do you have the opportunity to host, or are you invited to a Christmas gathering? The opportunities to glorify the Lord during the holidays are endless… I recently went to a homeschool gathering and the mom who hosted put put her heart and soul into the event. She made our children feel treasured, inspired the moms with her generosity, and loved on each of us through her time and thoughtfulness. She created the most beautiful cocoa bar and Christmas snackuterie board with the contributions of each family. I was amazed at the beauty of community and sharing, sprinkled with love!

So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! (Ecc 9:7, NLT)

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Cor 10:31, NKJV)

I come from a long line of decorators and lovers of Christmas. You can read more about that in The Power of Christmas. Decorating brings joy and spreads joy. When you walk into a beautifully decorated home at Christmas, it is as if you are embraced by the smells, the sights and the sounds of Christmas. It is so grand! You know you are home and that you are loved - all without a word. This beautiful tree is in my cousins house in Texas. It speaks to the gifts God has given her. She is a beautiful decorator, person, and lover of Jesus. This is just an example of what it can look like when we put our heart and soul into what we love (Col 3:23). All we have to do is use the gifts He has given us.

23 Put your heart and soul into every activity you do, as though you are doing it for the Lord himself and not merely for others. (Col 3:23, TPT)

I also like to decorate... but my gift is more with food. I find such joy in feeding people. I have slowly figured that out over the years. It all started in college when I would host cinnamon roll breakfasts at 7am at my house. Since then my passion has only grown. It is who God made me to be. God's gifts come naturally and bring joy! We bless others with our gifts!!

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!(Ps 34:8, NKJV)

Christmas is a time to give and love on others. There are so many opportunities to share what we have during the holiday season. In Matthew 25:40 Jesus tells us that when we give to the least of these we give to Him. Do you want to know how to give gifts to Jesus this Christmas season? Give to the least of these by reaching out to those in need. Our family has a tradition each Christmas that we pray promotes generosity in our children. We wrap up $25 for each of our four children and enclose a World Vision catalog. We let them flip through the pages and decide as a group what they would like to spend their money on. It has been so refreshing watching them embrace this opportunity year after year.

For more ideas on ways to give - hop on over to Gifts to Give at Christmas.

“And the King will answer them, ‘Don’t you know? When you cared for one of the least of these, my little ones, my true brothers and sisters, you demonstrated love for me.’ (Matt 25:40, TPT)

But when you demonstrate generosity, do it with pure motives and without drawing attention to yourself. 4 Give secretly and your Father, who sees all you do, will reward you openly.” (Matt 6:3-4, TPT)

If you haven't already... incorporate an advent tradition into your home. Advent helps to keep our focus to Jesus. We love the Cradle to Cross Wreath to accompany our advent study. Each morning we light a candle and begin with our devotion. We have used numerous advent studies over the years... this year we used the new devotional that comes with the wreath on the names of Jesus.

An Advent Celebration (Coming Soon)

This is just the tip of the ice burg… God will reveal Himself to you as you seek Him; He will use your tradtions, unique gifts, interests and talents to love on the world this Christmas!

Arms Wide Open

Michelle Underwood Homeschool August 17, 2021November 3, 2021curriculum, focus, Gratitude, Kindergarten, path less traveled, Preschool, surrender, tithe, women at the well 0 Comment

August 17, 2021 – Tuesday

Arms Wide Open

It has been two weeks since our morning spent on the North Carolina coastline. Since that time I have been pondering the invitation I received to focus on and capture the beauty in our days. It feels as if the Lord has been blowing on the fire He kindled within me that morning, by reminding me of the beautiful lessons He provided when I was fully surrendered and dependent on the leading of His Spirit.

During our early years of homeschooling, I chose to heed the still small voice of Lord and surrendered my school plans to Him. I laid down my desire to order store bought curriculum and I chose instead to simply trust God to guide us. As I surrendered to the Lord, I was humbled by how He used me to teach His precious children, and I was amazed at the gifts He sent day after day. You can read some of those stories in my Memoirs of a Preschool Teacher. It was a beautiful season. Our days were filled with nature exploration, creating beautiful art, and simply unwrapping each new gift as it was presented to us. Our activities honored childhood and even more importantly, I believe they honored God.

It is amazing what God can do when give Him space in our lives! Busy schedules and rigid curriculums leave little space in our days, and hinder our ability to discover the gifts and beauty waiting to be uncovered with each new sunrise. What we think we are supposed to teach our children, often stands in the way of what we want to be teaching and even should be teaching. The Lord will always meet us where we are. We cannot limit God. He has shown up in our homeschool when I am fully surrendered and when I am not, but full surrender has proven to be the most fruitful.

Many of us have our arms too full to receive the good gifts the Lord wants to give us. We are holding all of our ideas, curriculum, books and activities, much like a woman carrying bags of groceries into her home. Our arms are full of items that nourish our family. There is nothing wrong with what we are holding, except for the fact that our arms are too full to receive anything more. As we lay down all we are holding and stand empty handed, we are best positioned to receive the gifts the Lord longs to give us. Mama, our plans are indeed good – but God’s plans are perfect. He is willing. Are we ready? I can’t help but wonder what God could do with all of our time. What if we stand with arms wide open – open to receive? What if we shift our focus from our plans to our God? What if we focus on beauty?!

Have you have ever been in a quiet room and suddenly become aware of the tick tock of the clock? Once you have tuned in to the clock’s rhythmic sound, it becomes difficult not to hear it. In fact, it becomes all you can hear. I became aware of the clock on my son’s wall one night when I was sleeping in his room with him. The sound became so consuming that I eventually had to get out of bed, take it off the wall, and remove it from the room so I could go back to sleep.

What we focus on, we magnify. A magnifying glass can bring the sun into focus with such intensity it can create a fire. I have kindled many a fire with my focus – some beneficial and some harmful. We must be cautious where we focus our attention - the smallest spark can set a whole prairie ablaze. Whatever we want to magnify in our schools, our homes, our lives… that is where we must focus. Our primary focus should always be on the Lord. As we align our focus with the Lord, everything else falls into place. The Bible tells us we can magnify the Lord with thanksgiving (Ps 69:30). Oh the power gratitude! If I am longing to magnify beauty, I must first focus on beauty.

I will praise the name of God with song and magnify Him with thanksgiving. (Ps 69:30, AMP)

In Malachi 3:10, God invites His people to bring the full tithe into the storehouse and test if He will not open the windows of heaven and pour out an abundance of blessing! What would happen if we gave a minimum of 10% of our homeschool to the Lord? What could He do with it? Do we really need the next best curriculum or do we simply need God? There is nothing wrong with using curriculum as a guide, but not at the cost of crowding out the freedom of the Spirit of the Lord to move within our homes. 10% is a good start! Full surrender is where the magic happens. We can trust the Lord with our children and their education! This my friends is the path less traveled! This is the path that makes all the difference!

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. (Mal 3:10, ESV)

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. ~ Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken

Each of us in a masterpiece created by the very hands of God, designed with a purpose to do the good works which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10). Who better than our Creator to guide us and our children on our journey to discover who we are created to be. Yes – I did say us and our children. It is through homeschooling that we also discover our divine purpose. God knows our resources, limitations, gifts, talents and interests better than anyone. No curriculum or school could ever gather together each of these details more masterfully or efficiently than He who created it all.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Eph 2:10, NLT)

Does this mean I can’t use any curriculum at all? I don’t think so. What I believe it means is that I need to hold each resource loosely and be flexible to lay it down when needed. As we journey with the Lord, He will give us the tools we need. There will be days he invites us to simply sit and rest at the well – to drink until we are satisfied. We must be willing to become women at the well!

Below are the lyrics to a song I wrote when we were preparing to leave our home in Colorado almost two years ago. These lyrics are as appropriate today as they were then. I am beginning to realize that having my arms wide open is a lifelong posture I should strive for.

I stand here with arms wide open.
I stand here holding on to nothing.
I stand here with arms wide open.
Open to receive.

I let go when you say let go.
I hold on when you tell me to.
Holding on to your promises,
means letting go.

So with arms wide open, I stand.

What if I do focus on beauty and capture our days? What if I fully surrender to the Lord like I did when my children were small? What could he do with all that time?

I have included a couple of journal posts from 2016 when I was searching for courage to fully rely on the Lord as our Headmaster and surrendering my desire for store bought curriculum. I am sharing those with you today in hopes that they inspire you.

July 26, 2016 (journal entry):
I feel like I could stay here safely in the boat, order a kindergarten curriculum, and school would be great. It would be laid out, easy to implement and high quality. It would also be expensive. And most importantly it would limit my free time to allow the Sprit to lead me. I don't feel like I am being called to float in the boat. I feel Him calling me out on the water. I feel Him saying to just try no curriculum for kindergarten. Give it a chance. Just one year. Yet, I struggle. There are so many curriculum choices that look amazing, yet I am torn because in my heart I know play based learning is best. Lord, help me to not conform to the patterns of this world. As I step out of the safety of my boat Lord, help me keep my eyes on you, lest I sink. Give me wisdom that surpasses what I can comprehend today. I lay my life on the altar, I lay our school on the altar. They are yours Lord. Today I commit to embracing play based learning for preschool and kindergarten. Guide me Lord. ‘Take me deeper where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters wherever you may lead’ (Oceans, Hillsong).

August 24, 2016 (journal entry):
Last winter I felt the Lord leading me to not buy ANY curriculum this year, and to trust Him. What?! But I WANT IT! I dream of Whistlefritz for Spanish, All About Reading, Math U See, My Father's World, Sonlight... $1500 later I would be buried in curriculum, driven by our schedule, and pressured to perform because of the price, and because of my love for finishing what I start. But instead, I sit here this morning and I don't have a curriculum. I don't have a plan. I don't have a schedule. What I do have is an abundance of idle time to simply follow the Lord as He leads us. Give me wisdom to know where to go from here. Speak to me not only in the early morning hours, but during our studies. Give me the right words, ideas, and wisdom. Lord - to you I want all the glory. Use me to accomplish your will.