Spend Time Together

“After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11

As we have been talking about having a winning Christmas season, we have talked about -
1. Keeping Jesus first
2. Thoughtful worship
3. Be a gracious receiver
And today...
4. Rediscover family
Note in our verse that it says the magi came “into the house.” God sent His Son into a family and home. Christmas is a family time. A winning Christmas season involves forgiving, ending estrangements, and repairing broken relationships.

Several years ago, Professor Nick Stinnett, chairman of the Department of Human Development and the Family at the University of Nebraska, headed a research project to “discover what makes families strong.” Their team observed and interviewed 3,000 strong families in South America, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, South Africa, and the United States. From all of this research they concluded that strong families have six main qualities:
1. Family members are committed to the family
2. They spend time together
3. They have good family communication
4. They express appreciation to each other
5. They have a spiritual commitment
6. They are able to solve problems in a crisis.
Strong family ties don’t just happen - they take work!

Vince Foster was the deputy presidential counsel to President Clinton. He spoke to the 1993 graduating class of Arkansas University School of Law just six weeks before his controversial death. In his speech he spoke of his love for family and his wife of 25 years. He encouraged the graduates to “balance wisely your professional life and your family life. No one was ever heard to say on a death bed, ‘I wish I had spent more time at the office.’”

A winning Christmas season includes rediscovering the family. Take time together, establish traditions, be together - it will be time well spent.