What about CHRISTmas?
“The busiest shopping day of the year!”
“ Retailers worry about slow sales this Christmas.”
“What am I going to get Mom and Dad for Christmas?”
“Those Christmas lights have to be hung soon.”
“Did we get everything we needed for everyone?”
Wow. No wonder we stress at Christmas. When you consider all of the crowds, money that we spend for gifts that the people we give them to might not even care for, regardless of whether we like those people or not, the cooking and cleaning for all of the parties, even worrying about what to do with the kids while school is out for two-and-a-half weeks, we should all be breaking down by the time that Christmas day arrives.
Every Christmas season we run ourselves ragged, as a society, and worry that we have forgotten something. And to be blunt, we have. We say merry Christmas, and we send merry Christmas cards, and we wrap Christmas presents for everyone on our list (and more in some cases), but we never give to the real celebrant, do we?
The beginning of the Advent season this morning got me thinking. My church highlights a key passage every Sunday; usually it is exactly what I need at that time. This morning was no different:
1 Thessalonians 5: 16-24
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise the words of prophets, 21 but test everything; hold fast to what is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.
23 May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.
Again, wow! What words! Reminds me a little of what Christmas is about. What about you? Maybe if we just ponder these words, we may not be so anxious to run out and buy that “perfect” gift for someone. Maybe we will remember that that “perfect” gift has already been given; it began on the first Christmas day.
Say a prayer of thanks for whatever situation that you find yourself in, and remember those who need your prayers.
©2005, Michael A Porter, Sr., Texastude.com
November 27, 2005
“ Retailers worry about slow sales this Christmas.”
“What am I going to get Mom and Dad for Christmas?”
“Those Christmas lights have to be hung soon.”
“Did we get everything we needed for everyone?”
Wow. No wonder we stress at Christmas. When you consider all of the crowds, money that we spend for gifts that the people we give them to might not even care for, regardless of whether we like those people or not, the cooking and cleaning for all of the parties, even worrying about what to do with the kids while school is out for two-and-a-half weeks, we should all be breaking down by the time that Christmas day arrives.
Every Christmas season we run ourselves ragged, as a society, and worry that we have forgotten something. And to be blunt, we have. We say merry Christmas, and we send merry Christmas cards, and we wrap Christmas presents for everyone on our list (and more in some cases), but we never give to the real celebrant, do we?
The beginning of the Advent season this morning got me thinking. My church highlights a key passage every Sunday; usually it is exactly what I need at that time. This morning was no different:
1 Thessalonians 5: 16-24
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise the words of prophets, 21 but test everything; hold fast to what is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.
23 May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.
Again, wow! What words! Reminds me a little of what Christmas is about. What about you? Maybe if we just ponder these words, we may not be so anxious to run out and buy that “perfect” gift for someone. Maybe we will remember that that “perfect” gift has already been given; it began on the first Christmas day.
Say a prayer of thanks for whatever situation that you find yourself in, and remember those who need your prayers.
©2005, Michael A Porter, Sr., Texastude.com
November 27, 2005
posted by TexasTude at 5:59 PM
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