Christmas Time is Here...!

So, Christmas is quickly approaching, and the closer it gets, the more I can identify with Charlie Brown. I love Christmas and the Spirit it brings, and I love to celebrate the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ. I love the precedent set for us by the Wise Men when they worshiped the King. I love thinking about the shepherds and how excited they must have been and how humbled they must have felt to be lowly shepherds, yet received the first announcement of the birth of the King.

Then I look at this crazy world we live in. All of the stores advertise all of the things that people "want" and how everything is "on sale" and find the "perfect gifts." It can be very frustrating sometimes. I am finally seeing more of what God did in our lives as we lived in Reno for almost 9 years. He completely took my perspectives on everything, and like a snow globe, He shook it up. Then when everything settled, my life was never the same. It almost disgusts me to think how much people want and how it seems that the more we get, the more we have to have. While we may say it, the saying "It's the thought that counts" is no longer a true statement. I almost hate shopping for Christmas gifts because what do you buy someone who has everything? And if it's not good enough, what will they say, either to me, or even worse, behind my back. And all the commercialization. It was sad that Christmas pushed the Turkey out of the spotlight this Thanksgiving!!

Please don't misunderstand...I absolutely love Christmas! I just am learning (again) that it's not about getting (the right thing), it's about giving of myself to the ones I love most, and even to those I may not know at all. It's not about keeping up, or getting ahead of, the Joneses, who by the way, probably got in debt up to their eyeballs trying to outdo the Smiths...! It's about reciprocating the best gift of all...the original gift on Christmas day...the love of God. Our response ought to be like that of the Wise Men, to worship Him, and then to lead others to Him through the lives we live...!

Merry CHRISTmas to all, and to all a good night!