Only thirteen days until Christmas Day! The anticipation of this special day is so much
different for me as an adult than when I was young. As a child I loved being in the
church Christmas program and we usually had a secular Christmas play in our school
too. The music of Christmas filled my heart with joy. Even growing up in a Christian
home, we couldn’t wait for Santa to come, however. The excitement of waking up on
Christmas morning and running to the Christmas tree to find the Santa gift was
palpable.

As an adult, I still revel in the Christmas season, but for different reasons. Giving gifts to
my loved ones and helping others who are less fortunate brings me much greater joy
than receiving gifts. Because God gave us His greatest gift…His son…Christians,
including myself should see this season as a time to mirror that generosity. Acts and
gifts of love become a reflection of Christ’s unconditional love for us.

We prepare ourselves for this season by decorating the tree, wrapping presents, baking
those extra special treats and cooking a giant festive meal. While those things are not
wrong, they are not the real reason for the celebration of Christmas. This and every
Advent season we should enjoy the spirit of expectation, looking not only to the
celebration of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem but also to His promised return.

As we focus on preparing for Christmas, as believers we need to slow down and realign
our hearts with the true meaning of this special day. Jesus is the reason for the season!
Thanks be to God.

Patty