Sunday was the fourth and final Sunday of Advent. That means Christmas Day is right around the corner. I am sure you have a big list of things that need to be done before you can sit down a relax; finish your gift shopping, clean the house, get your groceries, make your travel arrangements and make sure the kids stay occupied while they are on Christmas break. There are a lot of things that are beckoning for your attention and it is easy to comply to every little task as they arise. While it is important to get all these things done, please do not let the insignificant things eclipse what is really important.

What is really important is that you and your family take time to appreciate and celebrate the fact that God became man and dwelt among us. And that Jesus (the God-man), would eventually pay the price for our sins on a cross so that we could know the joy of the Lord. This is the best news you could ever hear, "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." This is why this season is marked with joy!

So please remember to be intentional with the time you have with your children this Christmas. Use the little things to point them back to Jesus. For example, when giving gifts remind them that God gave us the best gift. When you are relaxing, remind them that Jesus is our rest. When you are eating, remind them that Jesus is the bread of eternal life. It doesn't need to be a mini-sermon, just hints here and there to help refocus and reclaim what this season is all about.

This week in SC Kids we studied about joy and how God is the one who gives us joy. We looked at Psalm 98 and learned about the magnificent things God has done to bring us great joy. Take some time to read over this psalm and sing Joy to the World with your family! For catechism, prayer, and discussion help get a copy of this week's Family Worship Guide.