A Country Christmas in 3 Simple Steps

BY WENDEL & NORMA ELLIOTT

Every rancher, puncher, cowboy, or those who love the western way of life can relate to these three words: “Make It Simple.” It’s a way of life that pushes out the excess and makes room for the important. It’s this time of year where we need this more than ever. Let us tell you why. Some people find it to be the most hectic or stressful time of the year, between parties, buying gifts, having family come in, you want everything to be just so. For our ranch women out there, you may even be tempted to fix up the ranch house in hopes of making it look perfect for company. I said you’re “hoping” here. You’re probably just praying the plumbing will hold until everyone packs up and says their goodbyes. All this worrying can steal away the reason for the season if we aren’t careful. Don’t you agree?

For you fellers out there, it’s a busy time of the year. You might be coming off of weaning or shipping. You might have yearlings to tend. You may have first calf heifers that you’re gearing up to calve out. You have numbers to get straight because the end of the year is around the corner. Plus there’s feeding and haying mixed in there too–don’t forget that.

With all that said and not to put one more thing on your plate, but you have a family looking to your leadership and how important Christmas is to you. It doesn’t have to be a big production; it just has to be real. You know a thing or two about that. Simple and real is always better than fake and complicated.

That’s the Christmas story: simple and real. A simple, ordinary couple that had a simple faith. A simple, ordinary barn that probably had livestock all around. A simple, ordinary manger similar to some that you’ve thrown hay into. However, that manger held the Son that was, and is the Savior of the world! That simple message impacts the world we live in even today. My challenge to you men, husbands and fathers is to share that story with your family.

We’re for taking back Christmas this year. Simplifying, we mean. Making decisions at the beginning of the season that will see us through until long after the dog knocks the tinsel off the tree and we’d like to help you do that. Here are three simple suggestions to make it simple.

1. Celebrate Christ, not commercialism.

Get back and stick to the reason for Christmas and that’s to celebrate Christ. So perhaps you’d like to try this for your family: Instead of one more Christmas movie, dedicate a night to reading the Christmas Story from Luke 2. It’s a tradition that always gets us back to where we need to be. We’ve lived in some mighty rough ranch houses but never had to live in a barn or actually give birth there. Talk about what that night must have been like, why He came, and how we are changed because of Him. (Read Luke 2:1-20)

2. Simplify the gifts. We used to tell our boys that Christ got three gifts and they would too. Simplifying gifts makes them more meaningful. Make them, put thought into them, but whatever you do, don’t go into debt to satisfy everybody you know. Celebrate others more than celebrating the gifts.

3. Enjoy others. It’s simple, we know, and that’s what we’re going for, right? When you’re at a gathering, big or small, enjoy the presence of the people you’re with, by loving the way Christ instructs us to love. (John 15:12-13). Give of your time and give from the position of love. That was the reason God gave us such a glorious gift of Christ, because of His love for us.

This Christmas just remember to keep it simple. It’s the means to truly enjoying this wonderful time of year. Merry Christmas from Wendel and Norma Elliott.

pastorinthepasture.com and thecowboypastorswife.com

Sharing simple traditions, like dragging home the Christmas tree, creates memories that will last long after the gifts are forgotten.