Merry Christmas from the Mason Family

Our family would like to take this time to wish you all a Merry Christmas!  We’re enjoying our first “hot” Christmas the non-traditional way.  No Christmas tree, no decorations, no stockings, no presents to open first thing in the morning.  I’ve been pondering in my heart what I want our family’s Christmas day to look like.  To be quite honest, I don’t completely understand why we celebrate Christmas and Easter in the first place (just one calendar day of the year).  EVERY DAY should be about the birth and resurrection of Jesus, right?!?!  I think that a lot of holidays have become worldly and commercialized, and in years past we’ve gotten caught up in all of that.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s okay to give gifts on Christmas, but we have decided that our gifts to our children would not be the first thing they focus on Christmas morning, so we will not be setting out stockings or gifts until later on in the day when we feel led to.  We are choosing to celebrate in a different way this year, without all the distractions, although we do miss the fact that family isn’t near.

We have a tradition in our family that has been going on for many years now.  We write down everyone’s name on individual pieces of paper and then draw names out of a hat.  Whoever’s name we draw, we get to make them a gift for Christmas – a gift that comes from the heart.  The kids look forward to this time the most, so we have decided to give away our gifts to each other tonight on Christmas Eve.  We then plan to watch a family movie together and celebrate Jesus’ birth by having a “birthday” cake that Gracie made for Christian as his gift.

However, you choose to celebrate Jesus’ birth, let Him be the focus of your day…..and for those that have kids, really ponder about what you would want Christmas to look like if Jesus were joining in on your celebration because He should be the whole reason for the celebration and not just a small part of it!  Peace, love and joy from our family to yours!!

We asked our kids to share with you what’s been going on with them, so here are their thoughts….

CHRISTIAN (7) – Hello friends and family!  I hope you can come to Africa.  It’s been hot and raining here in Africa.  It’s really fun having new friends to play with here, and you will get new friends too if you come here.  Today is Christmas Eve, and I know you know that too.  Christmas is about Jesus’ birthday, and it’s not just about getting presents.  It’s about celebrating Jesus.  There are three termite mounds on this base.  Me and Josiah share a room.  I wish you could come and share a room with us too.  There’s this game called shegisha, and all of the Footprints kids like to play it and so do I.  I’ve seen millipedes, rabbits, snakes, biting ants and cockroaches here at Footprints.  God has given me pictures of places in the world like in Europe.  I saw flowers and lots of animals and people and it was really hot there.  There is a swimming pool here at Footprints.  Have a great Christmas!  Merry Christmas!  Bye!

JADE (12) – It is so hot here! It does get cold here. I can’t wait for winter, which is summer in the States. It’s like an extra-long summer because when we left the States it was summer. I’ve made lots of friends here at Footprints. My friends and I have sleepovers and we go swimming together in the pool. I love having a pool here because I can just hop in whenever I want to! First when we got here it was all dry and everything was dead (the plants). Now since it’s been raining it is all green and alive. I like the rain, especially when I’m going to bed. Our roofs are made out of metal so when the rain comes down hard it is loud and comforting. All the kids and adults here are amazing and I’m glad I met them. I always help in the kitchen. I love helping whoever is cooking. I can’t believe it’s already Christmas! This year for our family tradition I got Gracie and I think she’s going to like her present. I can’t wait to give it to her! God has really been speaking to me about intimacy with Him a lot. So I’ve been reading my Bible and really pressing into Him more. I hope all of you guys have a great Christmas and a happy New Year. Merry Christmas!

GRACIE (5) – It’s fun here in Africa.  I play with my new friends.  I jump on the trampoline, and I play on the monkey bars.  I can go all the way across all by myself now!  I play in the sandbox and make sandcastles.  I got 2 new pairs of glasses because mine broke when I was hugging my mommy.  My mommy always calls me a “little fish” because I like to swim in the pool.  I’m learning how to swim.  I jump into the water while plugging my nose.  I’m not afraid of the water.  Merry Christmas, bye!

JOSIAH (4) – I love you all!  I wish you could come here.  I play with friends on the trampoline.  We put balls on the trampoline and bounce them, but if they touch you then you’re out.  The only way to get saved and back into the game is if another person jumps over the ball that touched you.  MERRY CHRISTMAS!