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The first Christmas our son was deployed proved challenging. Every winking light, glittering ornament or wrapped present reminded me of him. Surprisingly, one of the hardest parts of the holidays was watching television. Our family always loved viewing Christmas specials together. <\/span><\/p>\n

I did my best to join in the fun with our two youngest sons, but everyone could tell my heart just wasn\u2019t in it. So I sent up a quick prayer one evening, right before we sat down to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas<\/em>, asking God to help me through. And did He ever! He used that specific show to teach me some lessons about Christmas and having a son deployed: <\/span><\/p>\n

1)  Feeling down during Christmas isn\u2019t unusual<\/strong><\/span>
Early on, Lucy reminds Charlie Brown that he\u2019s not the only one who gets down during the holidays. God reminded me that it\u2019s normal for military families too\u2014especially when someone they love<\/a> won\u2019t be home. <\/span><\/p>\n

2) Turn to your friends<\/strong><\/span>
Charlie Brown did exactly the right thing. He told his friends how he was feeling. And sure enough, one of them came up with a suggestion to help him out. Likewise, when I reached out to my friends while our son was gone, they helped me come up with ways to lift my spirits.<\/span><\/p>\n

3)  Get involved<\/strong><\/span>
When we take our focus off ourselves, our problems shrink. By having something to do that benefits others, we find purpose and blessings<\/a> for ourselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

4) Avoid the commercial side<\/strong><\/span>
I don\u2019t think there\u2019s anyone out there who isn\u2019t aware of the commercial side of Christmas. It\u2019s often too big to fight, but we can learn to avoid it. Find ways to work around the spend-spend-spend of the season and stay connected with friends and family.<\/span><\/p>\n

5) Look for magic in unexpected places<\/strong><\/span>
Charlie Brown found it in a tiny, scruffy tree. I found it that year in an abandoned bird\u2019s nest. Our youngest son brought it inside to me\u2014so proud of his gift. Now, every year it nestles in our Christmas tree beside the blown glass and handmade offerings. <\/span><\/p>\n

6) Trust your instincts<\/strong><\/span>
Yes, Charlie Brown found the tree, but he lost faith in what it could be. It took his friends to remind him that his instincts were spot on. Don\u2019t lose sight of what you feel in your heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

7) Don\u2019t forget why we celebrate<\/strong><\/span>
Ultimately we need to remember why we celebrate Christmas at all. When we honor the love God showed us through a tiny baby, it puts everything in perspective. <\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, the holidays are tough on military families who are in the midst of a deployment. But there is still hope and a reason to celebrate. So dust off your family traditions and ask God to give you some new ones as you think about what makes Christmas so special<\/span>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A military mom shares how a favorite family television special brought home some important truths about the season. by Edie Melson   The first Christmas our son was deployed proved challenging. Every winking light, glittering ornament or wrapped present reminded me of him. Surprisingly, one of the hardest parts of the holidays was watching television. Our […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5690,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n