Christmas

Christmas!
We use so many words to describe the season.  But really, there is only one word to truly describe this time of year:  Jesus.  Jesus Christ is the reason to celebrate this season of Christmas.  His birth, His life, His death, His resurrection, His gift to us.  We can easily and quickly focus our attention on other things at Christmas (as well as any other day of the year).  Not all of these things we turn our attention to are bad.  However, if our attention is not on Christ first then we have a problem.  For example, we often like to focus on family, friends, parties, giving gifts, traveling, decorations, etc at Christmas time.  And these can be good things... as long as we keep Christ as our number one focus and remember that without Him there would be no reason to celebrate Christmas.

I hope that this Christmas is a wonderful time for you and your family.  Remember to keep Christ first.  He is the reason for the season.

For those of us hurting during this season (at the loss/memory of someone close), I pray that we will find our strength, comfort, and peace in Christ alone.

Merry Christmas!!

The Shepherds and the Angels [Luke 2:8-20 HCSB]

In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock.  Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”

Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:  Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!


When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the feeding trough. After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard, just as they had been told.