Christmas Memories and Traditions | Julio Arriola
This week on RonnieFloyd.com, Pastor and several Cross Church staff members are sharing their Christmas memories and traditions. Today, we hear from Julio Arriola, Global Worship Pastor. You can read more from Pastor and other Cross Church staff members about their Christmas traditions at RonnieFloyd.com now thru December 24.
I grew up in very small town close to the City of Guasave, Sinaloa, in the Northwest part of Mexico. With a population of about 500 people, you would think there was nothing interesting to do, but as a matter of fact, it was fun living there. There was no need to ask for permission to go out to play after school; we basically spent most of the day outside. We had cows, a horse, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, and dogs. We always found ways to have good times as a family, especially on Christmas Eve.
Even tough I didn’t grow up in a Christian environment, I have great Christmas memories. Our relatives lived around us: our grandma, uncles, aunts and MANY cousins. My favorite part of Christmas was seeing all my family together, surrounded by lots of food, as well as plenty of laughter and dancing. If there was any kind of problem between family members that had arisen during the year, that was the time to talk it out, forgive each other, and enjoy the fellowship. Oh, how I miss those times!
Now as a believer, I can more fully grasp what Christmas is truly about. We love all the preparation that goes into Christmas and how people seem more open to hearing about Christ. We love any time we get to see people come to Christ, but during this time of year, it is especially sweet.
We also treasure the fellowship with friends and family during the Christmas season. Carla and I teach our children the importance of spending Christmas Day with grandparents and close relatives. We have driven overnight on Christmas Eve just to be with them on this special day. Our kids haven’t spent a Christmas without a big gathering of family members and friends. They have learned that on Christmas, we are all together, with lots of food and lots of laughter as we celebrate Jesus’ birth and exchange Christmas presents. And as we go through the years, we continue to add not only to our fun memories of Christmases past, but also new traditions for Christmases yet to come.
Julio Arriola
Global Worship Pastor, CrossChurch
@arriolajc
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
Christmas Memories and Traditions | Ronnie Parrott
This week on RonnieFloyd.com, Pastor and several Cross Church staff members are sharing their Christmas memories and traditions. Today, we hear from Ronnie Parrott, Pastor of Discipleship at the Fayetteville campus. You can read more from Pastor and other Cross Church staff members about their Christmas traditions at RonnieFloyd.com now thru December 24.
Christmas was a special time in my home growing up. I grew up in Knoxville, TN in a little, two bedroom, 800 sq ft home. My mom’s motto was, “Love grows best in small homes.” My parents are big time givers. They love to bless people, especially their children. Each year they would emphasize three things during Christmas: 1) Celebrating Jesus Christ’s birth, 2) Cherishing Family, & 3) Giving to others.
It seems like each year my mom had a new idea for how to give to others. I remember one year, my mom had the idea to go buy 20 pairs of men’s socks and 20 hairbrushes to wrap up. We did as she wanted and as a family, we delivered them to a local nursing home. My brother and I went room to room with mom and dad and delivered the hairbrushes to the ladies and the socks to the men. It was a great teachable moment for my brother and me.
Now, as parents of soon to be five kids, Marci and I want to be very intentional about teaching our children the importance of those same three things. We have developed our own family traditions over the years. Each year, we go through an Advent calendar with our children, counting down the days until we celebrate our King’s birth. Also, with each new gift our children get, they have to pick one of their old toys to give away. We participate in an angel tree or blessing someone in need. These are just a few of the ideas we have come up with to intentionally teach our children.
Above all, we want to teach and model for our kids what it means to be grateful for all that we have on earth, but more importantly eternally, in Christ Jesus. We want our children to understand what it means that Jesus was sent to earth to save God’s people from sin. Each year we pray and ask God to work in our children’s hearts to show them their need for a savior, and each year we want to model the gospel through all that we do. Without Jesus we have no hope. It’s with a grateful heart that we walk in this Christmas season and we want our children to do the same.
Thanks for loving our family, Cross Church!
Ronnie Parrott
Pastor of Discipleship, Fayetteville Campus
@ronniep
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.