tradition

This time of the year brings with it many family traditions. Well, perhaps I should say that in years gone by, the months of November and December were filled with family traditions. Past tense.

Now I am faced with the decision of whether to carry those traditions on with this new family nucleus that has been hatched in a different hemisphere and season. And if so, which ones? Are they necessary? What is their purpose? Do they point to something deeper, or were they just done for the sake of doing them? Why has their impact traveled with me into my adult life, when the majority of them were ingrained in me during my childhood?

These are just a few of the questions that I ask myself as we pass through Thanksgiving and soon Christmas.

Mom is gone, there is no snow, the sun goes down too late to be able to enjoy any Christmas lights, I really don't need the extra weight I would gain if I baked Christmas cookies, we're about to move (again). All thoughts being whispered in my ear by the pessimist in me. Is it really worth decorating the fake tree, plugging in the Christmas lights, shaking sprinkles on the cut-out cookies? Will anyone but me notice if I don't?

But surely it would be selfish if I just played the Scrooge and deprived my children of the same special memories I had when I was younger, wouldn't it? I have to remember that I'm not a child anymore, it's not all about me, I have a hoard of others to consider and influence as well.

And who do I have to thank for these special memories and traditions, anyway? Without having to think twice, I know it was all my mom. And now I am a mom, with the opportunity to do the same for my children. So maybe even if it is solely for the purpose of honoring her memory, of thanking her for the impact she had in my life, I should do it.

A year ago, I went to a talk by Noel Piper, John Piper's wife. She was speaking on the topic of her books, "Treasuring God in your Traditions."

I remember being struck that evening by Piper's observation that God Himself created tradition. He commanded the Israelites to remember what He has done, to look back on years gone by and to reflect upon redemptive history, to celebrate significant days with feasts of remembrance and to talk to future generations about what He had accomplished for His people.

More questions flow out of this consideration: Which traditions happen by accident, and which are intentional? What do our traditions represent, signify or help us to remember? How do our traditions point us (and our children) to Christ?