This holiday season I
have really thought about how much I love and appreciate all the people in my
life. I have been truly thankful for the roof over our heads, jobs that pay the
bills and reliable vehicles to get us back and forth. We are blessed, God is
good!
Those of you who know
me well know how much I enjoy encouraging others and giving gifts when I can, which makes
Christmas the perfect time of year for me. So while on vacation I was looking
for something for my son-in-law and came across a book ‘Celebrating the
Christian Year’. Jash loves to read and is truly a Godly man so this could be a nice gift.
Later I sit down to wrapping
all the treasure I found for everyone and I found myself picking up the book to
wrap and then putting it down to wrap something else over and over. That book
is starting to intrigue me, so I start flipping through the pages. I thought wow that’s
great to remember this time of year, then put the book down. Then I do it again while wrapping other
gifts. Then I thought, hey maybe the book was meant for me. Then the real thought
came, NO not for me but for me to share some of these reminders with you.
Since we are in the rush of the holiday season and Christmas
is fast approaching, let’s thing about why and what we are doing.
What are Holidays?
Well the word “holiday: comes from the phrase “holy days” which means a “special
day set apart for a holy purpose.” Holidays are a time to affirm our faith. Through
them we communicate what we believe. What a wonderful reason to celebrate and I
love to CELEBRATE! Celebration is related to praise, and praise is usually a reason
for celebrations.
We put up the
Christmas tree. What does the tree mean to you? They have been decorated
for years to honor god. Why do you decorate yours? As it stands in your home
let it be a symbol of the Tree of Life and remind us that our Lord is the Light
of the world. The evergreen tree is and ancient symbol of eternity. Let the
lights remind you about the Light that came into a dark world. Let’s hang
ornaments that tell the Christmas story; bells, angels, hearts, candy canes,
doves and candles. Top the tree with a star. “Where is the baby born to be King
of the Jews? We saw the star when it came up in the east and have come to
worship him.”
Christmas cards.
In the middle of the 19th century, people in Britain began mailing
good wishes and Christmas greeting to relatives and friend they were personally
made. I love this tradition, it’s such a personal touch to the holidays. I hope
we don’t let it become obsolete with the advances in technology and social media.
Candy Canes: A
classic favorite, did you know the candy cane has special mean to remind us of
Christmas. The candy cane is made in the shape of a shepherd’s staff. When
Christ was born, being a Shepard was a common occupation. Each of them carried
a staff, when one of their little lambs became entangled in the brush or
trapped in the rocks they could reach down with the staff and free the helpless
animal. Just as the shepherds used the staff to save their lambs, Christ, Our Shepherd
saves us from our sin. The white of the candy cane signifies the purity of
Christ. The red stripes signify Christ’s blood, which he freely shed for us.
December 24th
CHRISTMAS EVE: Christmas Eve begins when someone sees the first star in the
sky. Go out and look up remember the first holy night. Be reminded of the “special
star” that announced the birth of the King so many years ago.
Then before we know it it’s CHRISTMAS MORNING! The timing is important, who celebrates a birth,
before the child arrives? BUT after the birth, WOW WHAT A CELEBRATION! Baby
Jesus is born, Baby Jesus is born” That’s what Christmas is about… It’s about
find Jesus. How you chose to unwrap God’s Gift is up to you!
For me it is worth the wait and all the preparation. The
real meaning of Giving gifts; is so we
remember God’s incredible gift of his Son.
Christmas was established to celebrate the ‘Incarnation” God
becoming human in order to be at one with us. Emmanuel means “God is with us.”
The WORD became a human being and lives among us. Think about it… He is with us
and became ONE OF US!
He identified completely with us!
Since God powerfully communicated his love through his
actions, this is a time to reexamine how God’s love is real in your life.
I am glad I peeked through the pages about Christmas. In the
end Jash still get the book with several other items I know he will enjoy and I
am such with his compassionate heart he will be glad I shared some of the
inserts from the book I know he will enjoy.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
