It’s Christmas Time

It is Christmas Time!!!  There are lights and decorations up around the neighborhoods.  There are special performances at the schools and around the communities.  The shopping mall parking lots are full and the streets around the shopping centers are crowded.  People are becoming more and more anxious about getting everything done for that special party at their home or trying to get that one and final gift for that someone special.  Christmas: the time of giving and receiving; the time of writing cards and singing carols; the time we thing about some people that we have not thought of all year; the time of wishing that someone would give us that one special thing that we have been eyeing most of the past year.  Christmas is a time where children are full of laughter and joy.  They can’t wait to see what they will receive on that morning after writing their letters to the North Pole and making out their wish lists.  Don’t you just love the sights and sounds of Christmas?  Some of the radio stations play 24 hours of carols while the Salvation Army Bell Ringers are in front of almost every store.  I believe more cookies, cakes, pies, and home-made candies are made throughout the month of December.  Just writing this makes my mouth water.  My heart beat begins to race as I think that I have not finished my shopping just yet.  Can I get it done?  Maybe by December 24^th.  Christmas time is very exciting.

Christmas can also be very stressful as we attempt to get all the shopping done, the decorations up and the cooking done as well as attend the parties and performances that we have been invited to.  Many people have to travel a great deal during the weeks around Christmas to see family and friends that live in different places.  Money begins to  run short while the credit card bills begin to mount.  Christmas, isn’t it exciting?

Now, please do not get me wrong.  I love Christmas with all the sights and sounds as well as smells.  I love giving and receiving.  I love caroling and traveling to see my family.  I would like to give you a couple of suggestions to help during these days.

• Set a budget of how much money you can afford to spend at Christmas.
• Set a budget of how you are going to spend your time during the holidays.
• Put your family first.  There can be so many distractions that we forget the main people that are important to us.
• Emphasize what you want your family to remember about this Christmas.

I realize that I am late sharing this information with you.  Obviously, I have either been caught up not taking my own advice or I have let the whole holiday season slip up on me.  I think both of these might be true.  But let me share one more thought with you today.  In order to go through these holidays with the proper perspective, you must have the right focus.  Christmas is not about all the festivities primarily.  Christmas is not about the gift giving.  Christmas is not even about family per se.  CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT THE BIRTH OF JESUS OUR LORD! You see when we truly focus on the true meaning of Christmas, we will be able to walk through the days (maybe have to run some) with the peace in our hearts and the assurance in our lives that we will have a very good Christmas.

Isaiah 9:6 (NASB)
⁶ For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Merry Christmas and May God Bless You Richly