Advent Devotional Post Day 11: Luke 2:51-52 "Jesus was Obedient to His parents."
~ Write a family memory and share it.One of the things I always appreciated about my dad, when he was available to us, was his natural good humor, love of a good surprise - and his all around good-natured (even child-like!) love of life. All things his children so easily connected with, and loved him for! And still do!

One year, I would say about 1978, when I was about 7, and my brother, was about 2, we were expecting a "non-materialistic," Chrismas, as things had been extra sparse for a while...I don't know how my dad did it, or how he found a way, but when he woke us up early and began pulling unexpected presents out from behind the couch, laughing and carrying on and calling out our name as present after present after present was pulled out - let's just say, in the end, children are truly, undeniably, inescapably - materialistic!And so the toys and games and all the THINGS filled the house with GLEE that Christmas morning as no Christmas ever had, or would again! And in a way I shall never forget....Or wait...Was it that our mother and father, who had so many struggles to call their own, had found a way - just for a moment, to overcome, and focus on their children?
TO SURPRISE US!
To show us love and happy the way only Christmas morning can make a child feel; only, in the style of my father - from behind the couch rather than under the tree we didn't have that year....Thanks so much, mom and dad, for all you tried and did and overcame for us. And for all the beautiful truths you showed us through all the living you did! xoxo.P.S.: Some might judge me for this - but I can tell you, my husband and I so joyfully spent the first decade of foster parenting making as much of a materialistic of a Christmas as we could afford for the children who blessed our life -  who had historically had very little. And I wouldn't do it any different! In fact, I highly recommend such an experience for anyone called to such an opportunity as materializing an underprivileged child's world! Although admittedly, I was never quite as creative as my dad! That's a high bar to reach.
The Fostering MomMerry Christmas!  Here's to wishing every child could have either a tree or a couch filled with presents!