From the desk of Rod Fletcher, Headmaster:

Today the Brook Hill Moms had an Ornament Exchange Party.  Heather was able to attend and share a few thoughts with the ladies that I wanted to pass on to you.

Heather’s mother passed away in May, so this is her first Christmas without her.  When Heather thinks of her mom certain things stick out with incredible clarity.  Her mom loved God, His Word, being in church, and serving others.  And at Christmas this was especially evident as she hardly spent any of her time on the commercialism part of the holiday, but instead was intentional about focusing on the gift of God’s Son and serving others as she would even open up their home to strangers on Christmas Day.  She had amazing amounts of the Bible memorized and always challenged her children and grandchildren to make their relationship with God the top priority of their days and their lives.  Her favorite Bible verse shows just how important this was to her.  3 John 1:4 says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”  And she would always explain that the truth is only found in a relationship with God and reading the Bible.

So, this morning, Heather asked each woman to think about the things in life that are most important to each of them.  She then asked if their children would be able to say confidently what those things are, especially during the Christmas season.  She then displayed an empty vase that she described as a mom’s life in the month of December. On one side of the vase was a bowl of walnuts, representing our top priorities. She suggested these top priorities would be things like growing in our relationship with God, reading His Word every day, praying, sharing His Word and His love with our children and family, serving others, and a happy spirit along the way.  On the other side of the vase was a bowl of popcorn kernels, representing the many aspects of the Christmas season that have become our traditions and things we love to do during the holidays.  These are things like decorating, shopping, wrapping, baking, addressing Christmas cards, attending or hosting parties, and the list goes on.

Heather took the bowl of the popcorn kernels and poured them into the vase.  After all, it’s already December 3^rd and there’s no time to lose!  Moms have to get busy getting ready for Christmas!  Decorating, shopping, wrapping, baking…each day, from the moment their feet touch the floor until they go to bed long after everyone else, a mother is so busy during the month of December.  The typical mom begins to realize that a few days have gone by without being in God’s Word and giving Him her day.  In fact, God is often not even in her thoughts most days as she is busy working through her long “to do” list.  Heather then started putting the walnuts into the vase as an afterthought.  Moms try to throw in a few prayers, send a text with a verse to one of her kids – checking these important things off her list now too.  But the walnuts won’t fit – her top priorities, the things she says are the most important to her, the things she wants to be remembered for by her children – they don’t fit into most of her days in the month of December.  Are they not as important as she says they are?

Then Heather started all over.  She dumped everything out of the vase and put the walnuts and popcorn back into their separate bowls.  This time she began filling her vase (her days during the month of December) with the walnuts first.  The minute her feet touch the floor, she grabs her coffee AND her Bible.  She reads truth to herself from God’s Word.  She prays to the Lord for guidance for her day, for a happy spirit as she tackles her to-do list, and for opportunities to share with others about her relationship with God.  Then she started adding the popcorn – the shopping, the baking and wrapping, the holiday parties…and guess what?  They all fit perfectly!  It is clear to those around her what is most important to her and she still is able to do the fun traditions that she enjoys.  Like Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

May God bless us as we set our priorities!