Advent Cards Day 22: Santa Pause
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“All right, boys. Turn off that video game and help set the table.âÂ
Ethan hit the pause button. âWe should be able to beat that level after dinner,â he told Levi as they scooted into the kitchen.Â
Mom was balancing the baby on her hip and stirring a bubbling pot of spaghetti sauce. âDonât forget to put out napkins,â she told the boys. âAnd donât forget weâre heading out to do some Christmas shopping after dinner.âÂ
âWeâre in the middle of a video game, Mom,â Levi said.Â
âYouâve been playing that game for over an hour. Itâs time to take a break. We need to get presents for your cousins, pick up ingredients for Christmas cookies, and buy some extra Christmas tree lights.â
âCanât we go shopping tomorrow?â Ethan asked.Â
Mom shook her head. âWe have rehearsal for the Christmas play tomorrow.â
Dad walked into the kitchen and pulled a strand of spaghetti from the pot. Mom turned and handed him the baby. âYou seem really stressed out,â Dad told her. He turned to the boys. âIâve got an idea.âÂ
âDoes it involve video games?â Levi asked.
âIt does not involve video games, but it does involve hot chocolate. Iâm going to make a batch of hot chocolate, and weâre going to sit down as a family and watch a Christmas movie.â Dad already knew what Mom was thinking. âDonât worry, honey. Iâll get up early and take care of all the shopping. It sounds like everyone needs a little break from the craziness of the Christmas holiday. Think of it as a Santa pause.â Everyone laughed, even Mom.
âI guess youâre right,â she said. âEven Jesus and His disciples needed some time to rest. If I remember the Bible story correctly, Jesus told his disciples to come with Him to a quiet place and rest because so many people were coming and going that they didnât even have time to eat.â
âNo time to eat!â Ethan said. âThereâs not a crowd big enough or even a video game that could keep me from your spaghetti, Mom!â
âIâm glad to hear it,â Mom said. âBut we still need to take time to rest and remember the real reason we celebrate ChristmasâJesus coming to save us.â
So how about you?
Do you need some time to rest? Sometimes life can get very busy, especially around the holidays. Weâre busy doing a lot of really good things, but thereâs nothing wrong with hitting the pause button and taking a break. Jesus knew what it was like to be tired. If He took some time to rest, so should we. Take a breather and spend some time with Him. After all, Heâs the real reason we celebrate Christmas.
Key Verse
Mark 6:31 NIV “[Jesus] said to them, 'Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'”
Key Thought
Take time to rest.
Further Reading
Matthew 11:28-30; Mark 6:30-32