simply CHRISTmas

The Christmas hoopla is all well underway.  For many of us, it's an exciting time, full of Christmas music, decorating, shopping, and baking, and parties. But for nearly as many others, it's a rough time to get through, for a long list of reasons. 

It's so easy to lose our focus this time of year, with the good and the bad.  With our focus on gifting, there's a great financial burden for a lot of people.  With the focus on activities, there's the stress of a TOO packed December schedule, and how to fit it all in.  For a lot of us, the family "reunions" that happen this time of year are equally as stressful.

The danger each year, though, is to miss out on simplicity of what Christmas is all about.  With the focus on Christ during CHRISTmas, we are all able to breath a sigh of relief, and grab onto the peace and hope that the story of Jesus so abundantly offers us.  When we choose to embrace what it's all about, and maybe forego some of the other stuff, we also can CHOOSE to reduce some stress and busyness.

Let's celebrate Christ's birth like we never have before. Let's be intentional to sit with our families and our young children, and tell them what it's really all about.  Let's set our hearts on the gift of His son, born to die for us.  Christmas is what we make it.

the birth of Jesus:
Luke 2:8-20
⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Let's glorify and praise God for the gift of his son!