Mindy Lee Hopman

Moments that Create Memories

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. ~James 1:17 

We were over the moon excited when we found out we were going to have a baby. Even though we didn’t know our firstborn would be a boy, we loved him from the very idea of conception. 

Three years later, that same excitement and anticipation filled our hearts when we found out we were having our second child—a girl. Two children complete our immediate family and every Christmas when we decorate the tree, memories flood our minds.

Christmas ornaments make the tree beautiful and fill it with memories of good times. Homemade ornaments, which should have lasted for only a season, hold a presence on our beautiful tree among the Lenox pieces and lights today. 

It wasn’t until I became a mom myself that I realized the priceless value of homemade Christmas ornaments. My cinnamon gingerbread man and woman, lists of gratitude, and the popsicle-framed grade school pictures on my mom’s tree are similar to my daughter’s ballerinas, my son’s electric guitar, and all of our cinnamon dough stars and the fish ornaments on our tree. These silly ornaments do not hold any value to anyone except to us. Every time we pull them out of their boxes, they trigger fond memories, and our hearts smile. To us, they symbolize childhood, the blessing of siblings, and the bond that ties our family together as one.

Children are a blessing from the Lord.

While some siblings are close, there are many who are not so close. All sibling relationships are unique. Sibling love and sibling rivalry have existed since the beginning of time. Some siblings become best friends, while others remain fierce competitors.

Today’s Scripture:

Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. ~Psalm 127:3

By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. ~Hebrews 11:4

Adam had relations with his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, for, she said, “God has appointed me another offspring in place of Abel, for Cain killed him.” ~Genesis 4:25

Today’s Snapshot: The Blessings

Adam and Eve’s firstborn son, Cain, bore heavy jealousy into his brother Abel when he was born. While Cain’s offering to God came from a proud heart, Abel’s offering came straight from his humble heart. Abel’s offering expressed sincerity and faithful obedience.

From the beginning of time, there have been two kinds of people who go to God: those who go to God with pride-filled hearts and those who go to God with humble, believing hearts. 

God knew Cain’s heart, and He saw his intentions. God knows our hearts, and He knows our intentions. 

God sees discontent when harbored in the heart. The offering did not change the birth order, and Cain’s jealousy grew. In this extreme case, Cain’s jealousy became so intense that he lost control and killed his sibling. God banished Cain into the wilderness, and he eventually settled in the land of Nod just east of Eden.

Abel-like hearts continue to speak through lives which display love and devotion to the Creator of all things created.

Adam and Eve had a third child named Seth, through whom the spiritual seed was passed down into the arms of the mother who birthed the Savior of the world. 

Family Discussion:

• What is your favorite Christmas ornament?
• God knows our hearts. He knows our struggles. What is one struggle you face with your siblings today?
• When you pray, do you pray with a humble, repentant, and believing heart? Or, do you pray with selfish intentions from a pride-filled heart?

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, 

We praise You for the gift of children. As we loved them first, thank You for loving us first and adopting us as Your own children. We praise You for our children’s relationships as siblings. May the memories we create in our home last throughout their lifetimes, and may those memories always make their hearts smile. Thank You for the good times and thank You for the hard times which cause us to look towards You with great expectation. May we all come to You with humble and believing hearts. We are grateful for family, we are grateful for friends, and we are grateful for the gift of forgiveness, which You gave to each of us in Your Son one silent night so long ago. 

In the precious name of Jesus, we pray,

Amen