This Christmas

  Humorist Elwyn Brooks White once said, “To preceive Christmas through its wrapping becoms more difficult with every year.”

The point is clear:  As Christians we have to work very hard to keep our focus on the real significance of the season in spite of all the holiday hoopla.  To help you do that, let me suggest a Christmas commemoration stategy.

•    First. read the Christmas story in the Scriptures with your family and talk about its meaning for today.

 Second, focus on the wonderful gifts that God has given you personally–your faith, your family, your abilities, your intellect, you friends, your teachers, and your freedom to live and worship as you choose.

Third, do those exercises every day throughout the Christmas season.  Make this a priority.

Finally, make it a personal goal, after the season is over, to continue doing those focusing exercises at least once a week throughout the rest of the year–until the Christmas season rolls around again.

During this season, as during the rest of your life, there will be a lot of noise and distractions around you.  With al the distractions and mixed signals we throw God’s way, isn’t it wonderful (and incredible) that He never forgets us?

Christmas is a celebration of God’s focus on each of us.  This year let’s try to return the favor.

With Christmas blessings, peace, and goodwill to you and your family