CHRIST IS IN CHRISTMAS!!!!

 So this is something that God has laid on my heart lately.  And while you are reading something you might as well have some cute pics of Joanna right?

 By the way she loves this toy!  :)

 Good thing daddy was there to give her cuddles.  No idea why she was upset....

 But daddy as always scooped her up and let her know he loved her. 

 And - All is well with the world again!!!  YEAH!!!  Great short story right?

 There is a lot of talk about let's put Christ back in Christmas?  And I AGREE......and yet I feel like we think a LOT MORE OF OURSELVES by making this comment than we should.  I know the sentiment behind it.  People are saying- Let's greet each other with Merry Christmas- AMEN!!!  Let's DO!!!

 People are saying......we need to remember WHY we celebrate CHRISTMAS- AMEN again- Let's do this in any way we can!!!!!!!!  BUT.........

 I think we give ourselves too much credit.  CHRIST ALWAYS HAS BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE - CHRISTMAS!!!!!  It can't be anything else....

 You can't TRULY have Christmas without Christ!!!!  It isn't possible- it is the celebration of HIS BIRTH!  We celebrate because it is a big deal.  Christmas is when God sent the SON he loved sooo very much TO US!!!!  That is God's GIFT to us!  He scooped us up and said .....yes I know you are crying.  You are hurt.  The world is messed up, and this won't make sense to you right now, but I am sending you MY ONE AND ONLY SON!!!!!!

 Just to prove HOW MUCH POWER I HAVE he will be born to 2 commonly poor people his Earthly mom will be a young teen.  His dad a carpenter.  OK to make this work I will hook them both up to an angel messenger because otherwise- well yea- this plan is a wee bit hard to swallow! 

 And then......JESUS IS BORN!!!!!  That is CHRISTMAS my friends- there is NOTHING ELSE!!!!!!!!!  There just ISN'T!  HE IS, HE WAS, AND HE IS TO COME AGAIN......that is the finishing story which we celebrate at Easter!!!

 We humans mess it up (he he he....all the time that is) - you know the story.  We say well this is the time of year I feel guilty so I give a few toys to those that may not have any.  Or how about we serve a day at the soup kitchen.  THESE ARE GREAT THINGS- KEEP DOING THEM.  BUT my point is this is NOT CHRISTMAS EITHER!  They are a few results of what we do in response of Christmas. 

 So we let our christmas - yes that's right folks I did it on purpose- christmas without a capital C.....why?  Because that is what most of us do- crowded malls, overflowing presents under the tree, santa, spending so much money we are in debt the rest of the year or we skip tithing that month because after all this is really important, or spending so much time going to christmas parties we forget to spend time with our own family.  I point fingers at me too!  A real Christmas is WHO we are.  Because of the HOPE, FAITH, and JOY God brought to us through JESUS!  It is what WE DO EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR! 

Not because we deserve it.  WE DON'T!  But God does it for us anyway.  He came so we could see how to live our lives.  He came so that we could HAVE CHRISTMAS ALL THE TIME!  Every day.....not presents, elves, and the silly movies.

It is the kind thing we did for our sick neighbor- in MAY,
it is the child we support through an organization so they can have food and basic health needs- all year long, it is the time we take to teach Sunday School- all year long,
it is the kindness in our hearts as we Gladly wait in line at the grocery store and the rude person in front of us is caught up in the moment and snaps at you- today,
it is the forgiveness in your heart for the child who just couldn't help themselves for the millionth time......daily. 

My friends we can't put Christ back into Christmas because HE NEVER LEFT!  HE IS HERE for YOU ALL THE TIME 24/7/365!!!!!  He is the baby in the wooden manger who came to grow up in perfection and DIED FOR  YOU ON THE TREE!  So you could be HIS FOLLOWER!

HE WAS, HE IS, AND HE IS COMING AGAIN!!!!  Don't MISS OUT!!!!!  Invite HIM into your lives today!

Dear God,
I am so sorry for when I let red and green bows, presents, crowded stores and sales, things I think I can't live without, the shiny lights, or a man wearing read and white take any place in YOUR DAY!  I am sorry that year round I tend to go with the flow and NOT SEEK YOU!  I pray you will come into my life and take over all that I do.  I give my entire household to YOU and YOU ONLY!  Thank you for dying on the cross and forgiving my sins.  Please ENTER into all parts of my life and help me listen to you.  In YOUR HOLY NAME we pray- AMEN!

***A recommendation of a movie if you have Netflix - it is on the instant play...if not it is available to buy as well.  Christmas with a capital "C"...pretty much where I got my thoughts from :)