Christmas is my absolute favorite time of the year. The beautiful decorations; the smells of pine, cookies, and peppermint; and the brisk wind with a magical blanket of snow all lift my spirits. Um... Well, here in the south, you can delete the part about the snow, unfortunately. Somehow, the excitement of the season makes me happy to brave the hustle and bustle (err... crazed and panicked).
But, what I like the most about Christmas, is the spirit of Christmas. It's not about Santa Claus bringing presents, although perhaps it is about the spirit of the real St. Nicholas who unselfishly gave of himself to make sure others were happy. It's not even about Jesus coming for us as a baby. Even though I'm very glad that He did, Jesus wasn't born in December nor was Christmas originally a religious holiday. However, taking time to remember God's gift of Jesus does help us remember what living in this world should be about for Christians every day.
The spirit of Christmas is precisely what those symbols remind us. There are things more important than wealth and position. Not only that, but God has given each one of us so many blessings and so many opportunities to bless others. With the spirit of Christmas, people remember that it's important to get together with family, to spend time in church, and to give to others in need. A very important start to the Christmas season is Thanksgiving, the too often forgotten holiday these days. However, the Christmas spirit need not end with the reviling of the New Year. It should happen all the time.
So, I wish every one a Merry Christmas, even if it isn't white... Take time to enjoy it.
Friday, December 17, 2004
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