10 Ideas For a Missional Christmas

Caesar: 00:00:01

You could also take that idea and sort of pump it up by hosting it as a mini candlelight Christmas Eve service, where the Christmas story is read from the Bible or another book, you could pray for each other for God to bless and prosper every one in the new year and express gratitude for God, sending Jesus to us as the light of the.

Caesar: 00:00:20

That takes it to the next level.

Caesar: 00:00:22

So it's a candlelight sing along and you're doing it on Christmas Eve, but you can tell people, Hey, I know a lot of church communities, aren't doing a Christmas Eve service this year.

Caesar: 00:00:30

They can't, we're going to do a little mini one and you just tell them, we're going to read the Christmas story.

Caesar: 00:00:34

We're going to sing a little bit.

Caesar: 00:00:36

We're going to have the candles.

Caesar: 00:00:37

We're going to pray for one another.

Caesar: 00:00:38

You could say, we're just going to do it for about an hour there again, I think it'd be very, very popular and be surprised how many people, a Christmas Eve service has been sort of their tradition and their thing forever.

Caesar: 00:00:49

And they would thank you for it.

Caesar: 00:00:50

It'll be a beautiful and simple little thing, and you can make it as simple or as elaborate as you.

Caesar: 00:00:55

Right.

Caesar: 00:00:56

And you could do an indoor outdoor depending on your comfort level or theirs, or, you know, any restrictions that are local or, or whatever.

Caesar: 00:01:02

Have you

Announcer: 00:01:13

welcome to the Everyday Disciple podcast where you learn how to live with greater intentionality and an integrated faith that naturally fits into every area of.

Announcer: 00:01:21

In other words, discipleship as a lifestyle.

Announcer: 00:01:23

This is the stuff your parents, pastors, and seminary professors probably forgot to tell you.

Announcer: 00:01:29

And now here's your host Caesar Kalinowski

Caesar: 00:01:32

well, sure hope that you are ready for Christmas, that you're in the mood.

Caesar: 00:01:36

You got the spirit for the year, a few weeks ago.

Caesar: 00:01:40

I heard probably the first Christmas carols that were starting to air on the radio.

Caesar: 00:01:44

And normally that kind of seems too soon for me.

Caesar: 00:01:47

I don't even know if it was Thanksgiving yet, but maybe right after or whatever, but it put me in the mood.

Caesar: 00:01:52

It really did.

Caesar: 00:01:53

And though, uh, with the weather.

Caesar: 00:01:56

Lately here in the Pacific Northwest and also just all the

Caesar: 00:01:59

stuff that's going on in the world still.

Caesar: 00:02:02

Wow.

Caesar: 00:02:02

What a year of limbo.

Caesar: 00:02:03

I'm not a hundred percent sure that I've got the full blown Christmas vibe, but I think so.

Caesar: 00:02:09

I think so.

Caesar: 00:02:10

I hope you do.

Caesar: 00:02:12

And I am going to be talking more about that in the weeks ahead.

Caesar: 00:02:15

This has sort of been the year of limbo and, uh, some ideas on how to get out of that, but that'll be another episode.

Caesar: 00:02:22

But I really hope you are going to enjoy your Christmas.

Caesar: 00:02:25

I want to say thank you for, for being with me this year.

Caesar: 00:02:27

Again, for being a listener.

Caesar: 00:02:29

This is so awesome that we get to do this together.

Caesar: 00:02:32

We get to talk about the gospel discipleship as a lifestyle week after week.

Caesar: 00:02:36

So thanks for being here.

Caesar: 00:02:38

I would love it.

Caesar: 00:02:39

If you would subscribe to the podcast and leave a review.

Caesar: 00:02:43

So wherever you listen to podcasts, you can do.

Caesar: 00:02:46

If you, if you've been listening on our website, you can go to Everyday Disciple dot com forward slash subscribe.

Caesar: 00:02:54

And that'll give you the links to, the apple podcasts thing and Spotify, and all kinds of different players depending on your device and what you prefer and what you like.

Caesar: 00:03:03

And in most, all of those, you can go ahead and subscribe that way.

Caesar: 00:03:06

You're not missing any of the weekly episodes and you know, what else would be so great.

Caesar: 00:03:10

Could you take the extra 10 or 15 seconds to share this episode with someone.

Caesar: 00:03:14

If you go to our website, every Everyday Disciple dot com and , you can go to the episodes right there.

Caesar: 00:03:19

There's a little easy peasy share links.

Caesar: 00:03:22

Now, today, we're going to be talking about how to take this Christmas season and really engage others, engage our neighbors and our friends.

Caesar: 00:03:32

For mission and not in heavy duty ways, but in beautiful incarnational ways where we can let our presence be known, invite people in.

Caesar: 00:03:41

And some of these things I shared with you all.

Caesar: 00:03:44

A year or so ago at around Christmas, but I shared it a little late and maybe you felt like, oh, I'll cue some of this up for next year, but of course then maybe you didn't remember or go back.

Caesar: 00:03:56

So I am sharing some of these things again, however, they are really timely and easy.

Caesar: 00:04:02

Most of them and beautiful.

Caesar: 00:04:04

And I would say pick a few and get started.

Caesar: 00:04:06

And you might be thinking, oh, it's a little too late.

Caesar: 00:04:09

You'll you'll see, it's not too late.

Caesar: 00:04:11

And, uh, these, these will work for you, um, individually or as a family or a Missional Community.

Caesar: 00:04:17

And you can connect deeply with people and stay on mission during the holidays.

Caesar: 00:04:20

You really can, and you'll still have time to do most of these as part of Christmas.

Caesar: 00:04:25

Right or if you're hearing it and you're like, oh, Christmas is too close.

Caesar: 00:04:29

Or since most people, uh, the holiday really runs through new year's Eve.

Caesar: 00:04:34

You can always do some of these things in the week between the holidays too.

Caesar: 00:04:37

Now most of these 10 ideas have an outward focus.

Caesar: 00:04:41

Like seeking to bless others and build relationships of trust.

Caesar: 00:04:45

But many of these can be things you adapt just a little bit and do just as a family as well.

Caesar: 00:04:49

That'll bring greater connection and meaning this holiday season together.

Caesar: 00:04:53

So I'm really giving you these as idea starters.

Caesar: 00:04:57

I'm not going to give you, here's like a checklist for each of them.

Caesar: 00:04:59

I think some of these you're going to go, oh yeah, we've done that.

Caesar: 00:05:02

Or I've heard of that or, yeah, we've been meaning to.

Caesar: 00:05:05

This is really going to give you sort of 10 ideas for idea starters.

Caesar: 00:05:07

All right.

Caesar: 00:05:08

So here's the first one.

Caesar: 00:05:09

Um, you could have like a little birthday party for baby Jesus, right?

Caesar: 00:05:14

And this is especially for children, Tina and I did this with our kids when, when they were younger and growing up and now we're starting to do with the grandkids again, or before we would open the gifts.

Caesar: 00:05:23

You know, pre-made a birthday cake or sometimes cupcakes and we would come out and we would sing happy birthday to Jesus.

Caesar: 00:05:30

And we would talk about it.

Caesar: 00:05:31

Sometimes we'd read the Christmas story and just kinda make it Jesus birthday.

Caesar: 00:05:35

Right now you could also organize a special birthday party for your kids and their friends with a focus on the birth of Jesus.

Caesar: 00:05:45

Think about it.

Caesar: 00:05:46

You could tell friends and neighbors that are close.

Caesar: 00:05:48

Like, Hey, we're doing a little birthday party for Jesus.

Caesar: 00:05:49

It's something, our kids really love, love it.

Caesar: 00:05:51

If your kids wanted to come and kind of get in the Christmas spirit and, and focus on, the reason for the season, so to speak, you'd be surprised how many people would be thankful for something like that, because they feel like, wow, uh, we kind of focus on Santa and the gifts, but we would love our kids to have a bigger thing.

Caesar: 00:06:07

So maybe.

Caesar: 00:06:08

Plan for some appropriate crafts and fun activities to go along with that.

Caesar: 00:06:12

Some, some yummy yummy treats and stuff like that.

Caesar: 00:06:16

And plan a Storytime for telling the Bible's Christmas story.

Caesar: 00:06:20

If you have the Jesus storybook Bible that one's beautiful in there, you can get the, a beautiful little short Christmas story.

Caesar: 00:06:26

Uh, if you want to go to our website and look around resources, the story of God for kids has a Christmas narrative.

Caesar: 00:06:32

Um, and you know what I'd say, get as many of the moms and dads involved as you possibly can to.

Caesar: 00:06:36

So as you invite the kids and the parents are like, oh, that'd be great to, Hey, you guys could come to, we're going to have, we're gonna, yeah, we're gonna have some adults next day.

Caesar: 00:06:43

You'll love it.

Caesar: 00:06:44

So.

Caesar: 00:06:44

All right.

Caesar: 00:06:45

So that's one idea you might dig doing.

Caesar: 00:06:48

All right.

Caesar: 00:06:49

Here's the second thing.

Caesar: 00:06:50

How about the old fashioned?

Caesar: 00:06:52

Old school neighborhood, Caroling group, right?

Caesar: 00:06:55

You, you could still do that.

Caesar: 00:06:56

Um, Tina and I were talking about this, my wife, Tina, we were talking about this the other day and she says, I would love it.

Caesar: 00:07:02

If someone stopped by Carolyn out in front of the house, like it would just be so Christmasy, snow or no snow.

Caesar: 00:07:06

And you could do that and you could do it using a mixture of Christmas songs that are Christian, right in nature and secular favorites, like jingle bells and stuff like that.

Caesar: 00:07:16

And people would love it.

Caesar: 00:07:17

And it really isn't like about how awesome it would be if you just dressed up and had red scarfs and someone had a Santa hat on or something, and you just scrolled around and you stopped in front of a house for a little while and did a part of the song.

Caesar: 00:07:27

You only need to know a handful cause you're gonna be moving from house to house.

Caesar: 00:07:30

you can your set list, so to speak right now, instead of traveling, if the walking around seems, you know, weird or intrusive, you could do it in your front yard or out in the cul de sac.

Caesar: 00:07:41

Like, if you live on one or near one, right.

Caesar: 00:07:43

And you could set up a nice little set, like if it's your own yard little set, like, you know, with candles or Christmas lights, or I know some people have little nativities, you could have a fire pit going and you could invite people to come out and join you in singing some Christmas carols, right?

Caesar: 00:07:58

Like that, like a caroling thing.

Caesar: 00:08:00

And if you said, Hey, you know what, uh, six o'clock Saturday we're doing, we're doing a little caroling out in front of our yard.

Caesar: 00:08:06

Anybody come, don't worry.

Caesar: 00:08:07

You will know these songs and we'll have some little handout sheets.

Caesar: 00:08:10

You could do something simple.

Caesar: 00:08:11

And it'd be, I think you'd be surprised you really, really might.

Caesar: 00:08:15

All right.

Caesar: 00:08:15

Here's the third thing, sort of the same, a little variation on that, uh, Christmas sing along, invite people to your home or deck maybe with a fire pit, and some warm beverages and do a little Christmas sing along.

Caesar: 00:08:27

So it's not caroling per se.

Caesar: 00:08:29

Um, what, and here's what I'd suggest you could do at acapella, right?

Caesar: 00:08:32

That's kind of what caroling has, or just sing along with recordings, put on Spotify with a speaker and just play.

Caesar: 00:08:38

Favorite stuff and sing along and have some just say, Hey, we want to get together and sing some Christmas stuff.

Caesar: 00:08:43

And I know it's kind of corny for some, but others will love it.

Caesar: 00:08:47

This could also be a fun thing to do on Christmas Eve, given that so many churches will not be having their usual Christmas Eve service.

Caesar: 00:08:55

So you can say, Hey, Christmas Eve, right before dinner, right after dinner, we're going to have a little sing along and you could do it in your house.

Caesar: 00:09:01

If, depending on where you live, if that's, you know, still safe and allowed, or you could do it outside and tell people, just dress up, we'll have some hot chocolate and cider.

Caesar: 00:09:08

Now here's another variation on that.

Caesar: 00:09:11

Maybe you do it as a Christmas Eve, candlelight sing along, and you could do it anytime you.

Caesar: 00:09:17

Have warm drinks to start things off, seeing four to six simple favorite holiday songs, and then end by holding those little white, you know, those little white candles, like we use most church services.

Caesar: 00:09:30

You probably your whole life.

Caesar: 00:09:30

They have a little paper in a circle around while you sing silent.

Caesar: 00:09:34

And people would love that.

Caesar: 00:09:36

If you say, Hey, we're going to do a candlelight sing along, bring the kids, whatever.

Caesar: 00:09:39

So it's kind of a variation of the caroling travel or the sing along at home, but now it's a candlelight thing.

Caesar: 00:09:44

See, and you can mix and match all this stuff.

Caesar: 00:09:46

and by the way, you can get a package.

Caesar: 00:09:49

Candles like the ones you probably use, you know, a million times in church services.

Caesar: 00:09:53

at Amazon, and they're like 150 of them for 20 bucks.

Caesar: 00:09:57

It's crazy.

Caesar: 00:09:58

I'll throw a link in the show notes, but you, you could find it, just go to Amazon and put in like, uh, Christmas white hand held candle or something like that.

Caesar: 00:10:06

I found it in two seconds right now.

Caesar: 00:10:08

You could also take that idea.

Caesar: 00:10:10

And sort of pump it up by hosting it as a mini candlelight Christmas Eve service.

Caesar: 00:10:16

Okay.

Caesar: 00:10:17

Where the Christmas story is read from the Bible or another book, you could pray for each other for God to bless and prosper every one in the new year and express gratitude for God, sending Jesus to us as the light of the world that takes it to the next level.

Caesar: 00:10:30

So it's a candlelight sing along and you're doing it on Christmas Eve, and you just tell them, we're going to read the Christmas story.

Caesar: 00:10:35

We're going to sing a little bit.

Caesar: 00:10:37

We're going to have the candles.

Caesar: 00:10:38

We're going to pray for one another.

Caesar: 00:10:39

And you could say we're just going to do it for about an hour there again.

Caesar: 00:10:42

I think it'd be very, very popular and be surprised how many people, a Christmas Eve service has been.

Caesar: 00:10:48

Sort of their tradition and their thing forever.

Caesar: 00:10:51

And they would thank you for it.

Caesar: 00:10:52

It'll be a beautiful and simple little thing, and you can make it as simple or as elaborate as you wanted.

Caesar: 00:10:57

And you could do an indoor outdoor depending on your comfort level or theirs, here's another one.

Caesar: 00:11:01

And maybe, you've already done this.

Caesar: 00:11:02

You could hand out treats to your name.

Caesar: 00:11:05

Prepare some of your favorite Christmas treats like cookies or brownies or whatever, you know, and put them in a little cool, attractive containers.

Caesar: 00:11:11

Tins are decorated boxes or little baskets or wherever you can get all that stuff like at the dollar store and then take them, take that stuff to some of the neighbors around you, especially those that you think may be People of Peace.

Caesar: 00:11:22

Those people leaning into relationship that you want to develop or deepen your relationship in the next year.

Caesar: 00:11:28

And I'd say it's fun to take your entire family.

Caesar: 00:11:31

You know, with you, the kids included to deliver those.

Caesar: 00:11:34

So don't make it like a tablet.

Caesar: 00:11:35

The cookies are almost just the reason to show up and go, Hey, Merry Christmas and all that.

Caesar: 00:11:39

and, and here's a little like pro user tip.

Caesar: 00:11:41

Put your name and phone number, maybe email address on a little note that's included, that way they'll know how to get ahold of you.

Caesar: 00:11:48

And if things are up, you know, they just have it or.

Caesar: 00:11:51

Reciprocate and invite you to something.

Caesar: 00:11:53

See, we're building relationship here right now.

Caesar: 00:11:55

Like you said, well, I, that would have been great to do before Christmas.

Caesar: 00:11:57

You could so do that in the week between Christmas and new year's.

Caesar: 00:12:00

I can just call it new year's cookies or new year's brownies or it doesn't even matter.

Caesar: 00:12:04

No one is going to be bummed when you show up with a smile on and the kids all laughing and having fun and hand them some, some goodies right now, you know what a variation of this too is you could also make with your kids or neighborhood kids and deliver simple Christmas ornaments.

Caesar: 00:12:18

I know there's so many ways you can do that.

Caesar: 00:12:20

I'm not an expert on that, but you could certainly Google that and there's even kits you can get.

Caesar: 00:12:24

I know for sure.

Caesar: 00:12:25

All right.

Caesar: 00:12:25

That could be really, reallyvfun.

Caesar: 00:12:27

All right.

Caesar: 00:12:27

Here's my sort of sixth idea now, by the way, you can combine some of these things with other things.

Caesar: 00:12:32

Okay.

Caesar: 00:12:33

So they're idea starters, um, a little Christmas card and a note and a photo and all that.

Caesar: 00:12:38

That's what I, one of the things that Tina and I did this year, um, what we did was we, we just found some Christmas cards that we liked that were bulk on Amazon.

Caesar: 00:12:47

Very, very inexpensive.

Caesar: 00:12:48

And, um, we put a little note in there going, Hey, What a crazy year it's been.

Caesar: 00:12:54

Um, but it's been great living in this neighborhood with you.

Caesar: 00:12:56

I'm looking forward to the next year.

Caesar: 00:12:58

I bet you are too.

Caesar: 00:12:59

Something like that.

Caesar: 00:12:59

I don't remember.

Caesar: 00:13:00

Exactly what it said.

Caesar: 00:13:01

And then we put our phone numbers and our address and our email addresses, just so people would have them.

Caesar: 00:13:07

And then we also put a little picture of ourself in there, so right.

Caesar: 00:13:10

We're kind of tying it to, "oh yea Caesar and Tina.

Caesar: 00:13:13

We've met them, or if they know us, and then on the back of that photo, we also put a little sticker with our names and phone numbers and email.

Caesar: 00:13:21

C and that way, if they lose the little card Christmas card goes ch gone, that photo is laying around Caesar and Tina here's how to get ahold of them because we invite people to things and open tables and happy hours and barbecues and stuff throughout the year.

Caesar: 00:13:35

And this brings familiarity and you'd be surprised how many people will keep something like that and be grateful.

Caesar: 00:13:40

Maybe stick it in a drawer, stick it up on their fridge.

Caesar: 00:13:42

Yeah.

Caesar: 00:13:43

This could also be combined with a gift of like cookies or jam or small holiday candle or an invitation to your Christmas sing along.

Caesar: 00:13:52

You know, the next day.

Caesar: 00:13:53

And so we just kind of went to all 92 of our neighbors here and we have a little subdivision.

Caesar: 00:13:57

It's just that many people.

Caesar: 00:13:59

And we probably know about half of theem.

Caesar: 00:14:01

Yeah.

Caesar: 00:14:01

you, you don't have to be that elaborate.

Caesar: 00:14:02

You might just do it.

Caesar: 00:14:03

Um, you know, the people in your blocks, or across the, like this block only, or whatever, that's just how we chose to do it, because this is a super walking neighborhood and everybody walks and we see each other, everybody.

Caesar: 00:14:14

And we probably, like I said, we probably.

Caesar: 00:14:16

Close to half the people.

Caesar: 00:14:17

I just over, you know, being friendly and being people a peace and finding people a peace.

Caesar: 00:14:21

So, now not everybody's home, so you got to leave those.

Caesar: 00:14:23

And that's another reason we leave the photo and our number and all that kind of stuff.

Caesar: 00:14:27

All right.

Caesar: 00:14:28

So number seven.

Caesar: 00:14:30

How about throwing a little Christmas dinner, dinner party, right?

Caesar: 00:14:34

You might still be able to do that depending on where you're at.

Caesar: 00:14:36

And it might be real small, might be a couple or two or whatever might be a smaller little group, maybe two to four other couples over a dinner in your home.

Caesar: 00:14:44

And you can say, Hey, we're wanting to have just a little Christmas dinner.

Caesar: 00:14:47

You're very special to us.

Caesar: 00:14:48

We want to do that.

Caesar: 00:14:49

It could also be done as a Christmas brunch.

Caesar: 00:14:51

We pretty much, every year we have Christmas dinner.

Caesar: 00:14:54

Big kind of deal with team K.

Caesar: 00:14:56

And there's usually lots of extras people there, but we also do a brunch because some people who are real special to us say, Hey, we really want to hang out with team K.

Caesar: 00:15:03

But you know, I got to go to my family thing at the same time.

Caesar: 00:15:06

You're having your family thing.

Caesar: 00:15:07

So we, we started adding the brunch too.

Caesar: 00:15:09

So we get up, we have a little brunch and then we usually lay around and watch a movie.

Caesar: 00:15:12

And then, um, and then we have dinner later and some people come and do all of it.

Caesar: 00:15:16

Now another alternative this to be would be to make sure you invite at least like, like if you don't want to do a full.

Caesar: 00:15:23

And like host that here.

Caesar: 00:15:24

Be my alternative for you.

Caesar: 00:15:26

Be sure to you invite at least one person or couple to join you for your Christmas dinner.

Caesar: 00:15:31

would say here's a little tip, try and have small gifts for whoever you have.

Caesar: 00:15:36

So like if they're coming to your family's thing, try to have a small gift for each of them.

Caesar: 00:15:41

So they're not left out during the time you opened gifts or you could be sure to have already done that gift, opening and stuff, before they arrive.

Caesar: 00:15:49

So as not to make them feel awkward either way, even if you did, it's kinda nice to give them a little something that's appropriate, you know, a candle or.

Caesar: 00:15:57

I dunno, a gift card to Starbucks or something, something like that.

Caesar: 00:16:00

Just people there's some, for some people we've had come and say, well, that'll be the only gift I'll get there.

Caesar: 00:16:05

I'm not joking and they're great people.

Caesar: 00:16:07

They're not like shut-ins or anything, but they just don't have family and they're, they're not connected to theirs or something.

Caesar: 00:16:13

So they're not sending and receiving anything.

Caesar: 00:16:16

So these things go a long way.

Caesar: 00:16:17

So a little dinner party, maybe a little fun, little Christmas dinner party, or a brunch, or at least invite one person or a couple to join you.

Caesar: 00:16:27

Here's another idea in number eight is decide to treat another family like part of your family.

Caesar: 00:16:32

Then.

Caesar: 00:16:33

All right.

Caesar: 00:16:34

I think of someone in the neighborhood, you know, who has maybe a special need or someone who recently lost a loved one or was widowed, maybe they, maybe it's someone, you know, that lost a job or they've struggled with health problems or something.

Caesar: 00:16:45

You know, someone who, you know, could use a little extra love this year.

Caesar: 00:16:48

and you could even help organize neighbors.

Caesar: 00:16:51

To do this with you, something special, sort of like a community Christmas gift of sorts and, and try to help and encourage that person this year.

Caesar: 00:16:59

Or that family treat another family, like part of your family that needs help or we're working on that as team K right now.

Caesar: 00:17:06

Uh, well, w yeah, I mean, we've been right.

Caesar: 00:17:08

I'm recording this before.

Caesar: 00:17:11

Yeah, to do the same thing.

Caesar: 00:17:12

We're trying to make this family part of our family this year.

Caesar: 00:17:14

And I plan, if you're gonna do whatever.

Caesar: 00:17:18

planted ahead.

Caesar: 00:17:19

You might've missed it for this year.

Caesar: 00:17:20

that's okay.

Caesar: 00:17:21

Here's an idea for next year.

Caesar: 00:17:22

and if you don't know someone you'd want to do this for like, some people say, well, I, I don't, I wish I did, but I don't know my neighbors all that.

Caesar: 00:17:29

Well yet there are plenty of organizations that can help you with this and things like angel tree probably heard of maybe your church has done it where the Christmas tree with little tags.

Caesar: 00:17:36

And to give you a family, maybe your church family is organizing something like this, or maybe another church is, and, You found out about, or you could probably find out about it, just a little Googling and I'm sure they would love to have you join in by selecting a family or a child to bless this Christmas.

Caesar: 00:17:52

Here's some other ways you can find families in need.

Caesar: 00:17:55

The American red cross will hook you up.

Caesar: 00:17:57

They totally will.

Caesar: 00:17:57

Salvation army.

Caesar: 00:17:59

They always know families in need and most local soup kitchens or food pantries will, is.

Caesar: 00:18:04

Any of those types of organizations, you can also generally go and help prepare either Christmas meals or package, Christmas gifts that have been donated, whatever you can help serve Christmas meals.

Caesar: 00:18:16

That, and there are definitely ways to do this safely.

Caesar: 00:18:19

Trust me, salvation, army soup kitchens, food pantries, they've all figured out how we're going to keep doing this.

Caesar: 00:18:23

People are even in more need this year, a lot of job loss and stuff like that.

Caesar: 00:18:27

So there's ways to do it safely.

Caesar: 00:18:28

Don't feel.

Caesar: 00:18:30

You don't have to they'll know.

Caesar: 00:18:31

and remember we, we always kind of want to make these types of decisions from faith, right?

Caesar: 00:18:36

Pray about this stuff.

Caesar: 00:18:37

Let God decide.

Caesar: 00:18:39

here's another kind of way to help with food and kind of, you know, blessing a family, whatever.

Caesar: 00:18:43

You could put together a sort of a holiday dinner slash gift box.

Caesar: 00:18:47

It's a cool thing, I think is you put together during the holiday season, like a gift box that contains a complete dinner and some sort of \ wrapped up gifts for everyone in the family that you want to bless.

Caesar: 00:18:58

So let's see how it's kind of a hybrid or the other one, like pick a family you want to bless right.

Caesar: 00:19:03

With something like you're going to treat them like family and invite them or just give them a gift or whatever.

Caesar: 00:19:08

But you could, this is a hybrid.

Caesar: 00:19:10

Box up a full meal with some small little gifts and this doesn't have to cost a ton of money for you to do it really doesn't, uh, you can spend as much as you want or as little really.

Caesar: 00:19:19

I don't think anybody's going to.

Caesar: 00:19:20

Be, you know, looking a gift horse in the mouth, there's no right or wrong way to create a gift box.

Caesar: 00:19:24

And the best part about it is you can use your imagination and you can get your kids involved in it.

Caesar: 00:19:29

And you can also invite friends and other neighbors to help you do it, or let's do several.

Caesar: 00:19:33

So here's some examples.

Caesar: 00:19:34

for how you put together a holiday in a box.

Caesar: 00:19:36

It might be a Good uh thing to call it.

Caesar: 00:19:38

put together like a complete ham or chicken.

Caesar: 00:19:40

Ham is kind of a good one cause it's pre cooked.

Caesar: 00:19:43

And it doesn't require a long time to heat up.

Caesar: 00:19:45

No one can really blow that.

Caesar: 00:19:46

also throwing the box, all the trimmings.

Caesar: 00:19:48

So, appropriate either ham or chicken or whatever you choose, you know, like bag of potatoes, maybe the fixings for a salad, tomatoes, cucumbers, some lettuce, whatever dressing.

Caesar: 00:19:57

throw in some.

Caesar: 00:19:58

A bag of buns or rolls or some croissants, maybe a little bit of butter, a couple of cans of corn or a bag of frozen veggies, something like that.

Caesar: 00:20:06

Some cranberry sauce.

Caesar: 00:20:07

That's always fun, but leave me chicken can.

Caesar: 00:20:10

Doesn't matter.

Caesar: 00:20:11

It's just kind of Christmasy kind of festive.

Caesar: 00:20:13

And.

Caesar: 00:20:13

Maybe a jar gravy to go along with that, then put some dessert, put it like a pie, uh, put some whipped cream can with cream topping or something like that.

Caesar: 00:20:21

And then add in appropriate gifts that are sort of age appropriate for everyone in that family.

Caesar: 00:20:26

If you know it.

Caesar: 00:20:27

And if not, you can do generic things.

Caesar: 00:20:29

You, you know, it's nicer when it's an actual shop than wrapped gift, but we've had to do at times when we don't know.

Caesar: 00:20:35

So we give a little Amazon gift cards.

Caesar: 00:20:37

People will generally pick their own things and be happy for it.

Caesar: 00:20:40

Um, and, and this is another place where your family and friends and community can really chip in and help out.

Caesar: 00:20:46

So if you do get gifts, wrapped them nicely, make them look great.

Caesar: 00:20:50

Don't just put one big bag with stuff in it.

Caesar: 00:20:51

Like treat people like you'd love to be treated.

Caesar: 00:20:53

And if you know the names of the family members write their name on the tag, that's a cool.

Caesar: 00:20:58

And if not, just try to do it best you can and buy something that says like girl age 12, right.

Caesar: 00:21:03

Or boy age eight or something like that.

Caesar: 00:21:05

Adult female.

Caesar: 00:21:07

Okay.

Caesar: 00:21:07

So, don't stress any of it.

Caesar: 00:21:09

Now there's a couple of ways you can give these gift boxes.

Caesar: 00:21:12

So if you're worried about it or it feels awkward, you could.

Caesar: 00:21:15

Just give it to them and say, Hey, you know, we heard, you might love something like this, this Christmas, everybody could use a little more cheer and joy.

Caesar: 00:21:23

You don't have to point out, like I heard, you're having the worst year of your life and suck and you're broke.

Caesar: 00:21:27

And you know, you can just say, Hey, we heard you guys could use a little extra cheer.

Caesar: 00:21:31

We sure could too.

Caesar: 00:21:32

Anyway, so here it is.

Caesar: 00:21:33

But you could do it in anonymously.

Caesar: 00:21:35

and sometimes, maybe not often, but you'll come across a family who may be embarrassed by their situation.

Caesar: 00:21:40

So that would bless them actually more where it just, you know, through either the organization you found them out or some other way you could do it more anonymously.

Caesar: 00:21:48

cause, you know, the last thing you want to do is embarrass people, even though they might really enjoy getting it, but some people just feel super awkward.

Caesar: 00:21:54

cause remember this is about helping and, and showing that you care and showing God's love and really his glory, what he's like.

Caesar: 00:22:00

Cause he's, he's, he's loving and generous and he cares for them.

Caesar: 00:22:05

He sent his son Jesus at this time of the year.

Caesar: 00:22:08

Right.

Caesar: 00:22:08

For us.

Caesar: 00:22:08

Well, I mean on a historically, but you know what I mean?

Caesar: 00:22:10

That's when we celebrate so if you want to do an anonymous, then you can arrange for a delivery service or maybe a friend to say, Hey, someone got all this stuff for you and I'm just delivering it Merry Christmas.

Caesar: 00:22:22

And boom.

Caesar: 00:22:22

So there you go.

Caesar: 00:22:23

Or maybe through the organization that connected you with them, you deliver it to them.

Caesar: 00:22:28

They get.

Caesar: 00:22:28

Okay.

Caesar: 00:22:29

Now you can also do it this way delivered by Santa.

Caesar: 00:22:33

That's kind of a fun way, especially if there's kids.

Caesar: 00:22:35

So you could either leave it or drop it off and go, Hey, Santa left us at the wrong house.

Caesar: 00:22:39

Merry Christmas.

Caesar: 00:22:40

You guys I'm so-and-so and this is so-and-so.

Caesar: 00:22:42

These are my kids.

Caesar: 00:22:43

I hope you guys have a great Christmas and you know, here's connection.

Caesar: 00:22:46

Here's our number and stuff.

Caesar: 00:22:47

You want to let us know what Santa brought Merry Christmas, and you could even dress up as Santa or have a friend do that, make it super special.

Caesar: 00:22:54

Pretty cool.

Caesar: 00:22:55

Now last, but not least number 10 here, ways to, be a blessing and live on mission.

Caesar: 00:23:00

Which is just making disciples and helping people move from unbelief to believe about God and who he is and what he's like.

Caesar: 00:23:06

believe it or not, uh, cash.

Caesar: 00:23:09

Yeah.

Caesar: 00:23:09

Last but not least cash.

Caesar: 00:23:10

Cash is always a winner for people who have needs.

Caesar: 00:23:13

And this can be for like one family where you hook them up with.

Caesar: 00:23:17

Some cash to help pay bills or a nice sized gift card at the local grocery store, or maybe a grocery store one and an Amazon one for gifts, or, as a story, you know, they're going to have clothes and toys and food.

Caesar: 00:23:28

Like, Walmart's great for that.

Caesar: 00:23:30

a single mom or an individual or whatever, or you could do smaller gifts given out to several people.

Caesar: 00:23:36

So when I say cash, that's not necessarily meaning you have to stuff, wads of bills into an envelope though.

Caesar: 00:23:42

But you can always get those.

Caesar: 00:23:43

I think their visa cash card.

Caesar: 00:23:45

prepaid, you can get up those, it pretty much every local grocery store, or you give one to a place, you know, that everybody can find stuff they're going to need.

Caesar: 00:23:53

So like a Walmart or other major store chain, um, where they can buy food or other necessities or toys or clothes or whatever they want.

Caesar: 00:24:01

So there you go.

Caesar: 00:24:03

There's a whole bunch of ideas, hopefully to get you started.

Caesar: 00:24:06

Hopefully.

Caesar: 00:24:07

find something in there that trips your trigger.

Caesar: 00:24:09

And there again, you're hearing this and you're probably thinking, oh, it's too late this year.

Caesar: 00:24:13

No, it's not.

Caesar: 00:24:15

It really isn't.

Caesar: 00:24:16

Even if you go, oh, we should've done the Christmas card thing, just do a holiday one, get a card that says happy holidays and deliver it.

Caesar: 00:24:22

And then week between listen, no, one's going to be bummed.

Caesar: 00:24:26

They're all going to be grateful for the touch and for the effort that you cared.

Caesar: 00:24:29

I promise.

Caesar: 00:24:30

All right.

Caesar: 00:24:31

So let me here, let me, let me give you a few big takeaways right?

Caesar: 00:24:35

In our big three.

Caesar: 00:24:36

This is the time when I want to do that.

Caesar: 00:24:37

I want to leave you with the three big takeaways.

Caesar: 00:24:39

If nothing else, you don't want to miss the big three thoughts or ideas here.

Caesar: 00:24:42

Um, and as always, you can get a printable PDF of this week's big three as a download by going to Everyday Disciple dot com forward slash big three Everyday Disciple dot com forward slash big three.

Caesar: 00:24:56

And what I'll do is, um, I will.

Caesar: 00:24:58

The list of these 10 ideas and not with all the descriptors, cause hopefully you'll remember them from the, this episode or you can go back and relisten, but I'll add an extra page.

Caesar: 00:25:06

That's got all 10 of these ideas, you know, kind of their titles.

Caesar: 00:25:09

So as to remind you, so you could print this big three off and then you have that list and you could sit and talk through it as a family, pray through it and all that.

Caesar: 00:25:16

Okay.

Caesar: 00:25:17

Here's the big three first, um, seeing everyone as family and treating them as such is really a great place to start.

Caesar: 00:25:26

If you want to be Missional this holiday season, okay.

Caesar: 00:25:28

There are people all around you that are alone and they're dying for community.

Caesar: 00:25:32

I promise, I promise there are...

Caesar: 00:25:34

always.

Caesar: 00:25:35

And maybe even especially this year.

Caesar: 00:25:37

Opening up your life, your heart and home to include them into your family's holiday traditions,

Caesar: 00:25:43

and your time, is a powerful way to show them God's love.

Caesar: 00:25:47

And because you're inviting them into your own family time and rhythms, it says to them, "Hey, you're a part of this family."

Caesar: 00:25:53

Isn't that beautiful?

Caesar: 00:25:55

So don't miss that treat other people like family.

Caesar: 00:25:58

Great place to start second let's remember Jesus was also called emmanuel , meaning God with us let's model that.

Caesar: 00:26:08

Yeah, let's model that let's be with others.

Caesar: 00:26:10

Many of us were raised to believe that Christmas and the holidays is a time to sort of unplug from outside world outside relationships and our normal community rhythms.

Caesar: 00:26:19

And many Christians also tend to isolate away from their small groups or their missional communities that while we just kind of took a break and we're just hunkering down in.

Caesar: 00:26:28

being isolated, I would say being selfish a little bit.

Caesar: 00:26:31

and they isolate from those that they really could be pressing into for closer relationship.

Caesar: 00:26:38

I'd say use the flexibility that your schedule may allow during the holidays to be with people.

Caesar: 00:26:44

No huge goals for outcomes or worries about what to say or do, just be present this holiday season, asking the spirit to guide you, how you use your time and with whom

Caesar: 00:26:55

I think you'd be glad you did have you prayed over this list and ask God who to be with and how to spend your time.

Caesar: 00:27:01

I promise you, you'll know.

Caesar: 00:27:03

So here's the number three, make a list of these 10 items or print it off better yet and discuss them as a family and, or even as a community.

Caesar: 00:27:11

Okay.

Caesar: 00:27:12

Don't put it off, pick at least one and go for it.

Caesar: 00:27:17

Get started.

Caesar: 00:27:18

And then maybe then put together a wishlist for things that you'd like to queue up for next year.

Caesar: 00:27:23

Well, that's about it for today.

Caesar: 00:27:26

Next week, I'm going to be talking about preparing for the new year on mission.

Caesar: 00:27:32

As I mentioned, right at the top of the podcast today, this has kind of been the year of limbo and kind of wondering what's happening and we're starting and we're stopping and we're locking down and we're opening up and we're not sure.

Caesar: 00:27:44

And who's coming back and who's not.

Caesar: 00:27:45

And are we going out?

Caesar: 00:27:46

Are we building up in and all that?

Caesar: 00:27:48

So I'm going to be talking about preparing for a new year.

Caesar: 00:27:52

On mission.

Caesar: 00:27:53

And some of the things that we want to prepare personally, and maybe as a family and as a community, and then even as a church.

Caesar: 00:28:00

So I hope you'll join me for that.

Caesar: 00:28:02

That'll be starting to move towards the end of the year wrap up that we always do.

Caesar: 00:28:07

We'll kind of wrap up the year, ouryear and tell you what's coming ahead.

Caesar: 00:28:11

Anyway, I look forward to that.

Caesar: 00:28:12

I hope.

Caesar: 00:28:13

I'll talk to you soon.

Announcer: 00:28:15

Thanks for joining us today.

Announcer: 00:28:16

For more information on this show and to get loads of free discipleship resources, visit EverydayDisciple.Com.