Loving Traditions

       I thought since it is the beginning of the Holiday season and many of us are starting in on those family traditions, I would talk about some of mine. Not just the holiday ones, I'm not going to talk about them at all but the every day ones. The ones you had when you were a little child and stopped doing now that you are an adult because you think there is no way you can carry on those traditions or still do them yourselves.
       I have a friend that is so big on traditions espically the ones their family passes down but my friend is so close to the family so it is understandable. I see through my friend that traditions aren't just the fun holiday ones that we have with family which that might be a big part they are also the little things we do with them to have fun. As I look back on my life as a child, I did things everyday that I wouldn't mind passing down to my children someday. I'm being transparent here kind of if you can't tell already. They don't even have to be my own children, they could for now just be the children I work with to show them that someone loves them. Little traditions like saying a prayer and reading the Bible every night to them or even just finding that time to spend with them.
       One little traditions I had when I was little and during the summers was I would go back to my old babysitters and spend a week with them after we have moved from that town but when we lived in that town they were my babysitters. I remember walking in their woods with them picking up acorns along the way. I would always collect the chicken's eggs. I would most of the time do my school shopping with them or at least some of it. My babysitter would show me the right way to set the table for guests and how to sew. Yes, I'm a country girl at heart if you don't know that by now. Like that country song says, "It's who I am." I want to pass that walking in the woods on to my children. I also feel like I got the "little" tradition of collecting teddy bears from my babysitter. Yes, I'm blaming her. :)
         Every summer with family we would go on a trip to Montana and go fishing and camping that was a tradition even though I didn't like it back then I regret not liking getting up so early on morning to go fish but I miss it a lot. We would even have a speical place in MO we would go fishing every so often mostly in the Spring. We were outdoors a lot. I really hope to pass that on to my children someday. It makes me feel good and calmer when I'm in God's Creation. A funny one I always complained about was going into Bass Pro Shops with my dad everytime we were around one but now I find myself going into a Cabels' just to calm down sometimes. Just a few walks around the store and I'm fine. Then family might makes newer ones when you become older like shopping for your birthday instead of actually getting presents because they have no idea what you would like now.
          Every summer when I was little I would go to church camp and I loved it. I'm thinking about working there for the 1st time since I've been a grown up and just having or starting that kind of tradition for myself is neat to see. God might give me the chance to make a different in another child's life where I'm learned the most about Him too. Just seeing the different of going as a child and teaching the children there now will be an amazing difference if I get to do it, which I hope I will. It's been something I've thought about a lot since moving to AR because I'm closer to the camp now.
          Then there are those holiday ones we miss like getting together on Thanksgiving and the guys would go hunt deer while the ladies would stay home and cook and having homemade noodles. Getting together on Christmas Eve at Grandma's house and opening presents. Sleeping under the Christmas tree with your siblings on Dec. 23rd with the Christmas tree lights on. This is not a holiday one but I remember getting Little Debbies cookies every time we would go to our grandma's house.
         Life does change a lot when growing up but if there is one thing I've learned is that I don't want to let go of my family traditions. I mean I know I can't have it right on the dot but I can get it as close as I can for my children someday and I want too. I want you to try and think of a tradition you could pass down to your children and do it. It is espically those little traditions that means the most. Time spent with family that means the most.