Season of Joy!

Oh what great memories I have of Christmases past!  Growing up in South Carolina we did not have cold weather or snow for Christmas, but still it was an exciting time. Going to the Christmas parade with all the local high school marching bands, the department stores (we only had about 2 big ones) all lit up with Christmas decorations and Christmas music piping through the speakers, all made my heart as a little girl race with excitement.

On our local radio station, every Friday night after Thanksgiving, "Santa" would come on and read all the letters that he received from us kids in the community. Of course I sent one every year (until my brother told me that there was no Santa Claus and it was stupid).  But back then it was so exciting to hear when "Santa" would read my letter over the airwaves. He would say "...and this letter comes from Veronica Byrd that lives on Lincoln Avenue...she says that she has been a good girl and would like me to bring her a Tiny Tears Doll, a china tea set (yes I loved tea things even back then) and lots of fruit and candy Ho Ho Ho!" Oh my gosh I thought I would pass out because my heart was beating so fast!  Santa read MY letter...he knew ME and heard my request!  And as a child I had no problem believing that...it makes me smile now as I write this...oh a child's faith!  Is that the kind of faith that Jesus talks about in Matthew 18:3? And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Oh God may we have the faith to believe without a doubt that You not only know us, but You hear our requests and to be confident that You will answer us according to Your will...

Now we know that Santa is not a real person and parents have many theories and reasons for encouraging or not encouraging their children to believe in Santa and I respect that; and I am in no way comparing Santa to Jesus...trust me there is NO comparison.  But as I was just thinking about the joy and happiness I had in Christmases past and how as a child I was so free and unhindered in believing that something good was happening. As you get older and experience life, I believe that simple joy and happiness wears off. We gain wisdom and knowledge but lose that simple childhood "faith" that this Christmas season is a good thing! 

Of course it is not about the decorated trees, toys, gifts and such; it is about celebrating Christ's birth, no matter what day it actually happened.  The fact is that it DID happen and when the folks in the world don't acknowledge it in that way, we who know the TRUTH can certainly celebrate it with that in the forefront with... yes! decorated trees, gifts and toys for the children all while glorifying God!

I don't think God is so much concerned with how the Christmas tree was originally started by the Druids or somebody like that, as He is about whether or not we are celebrating the Birth of Jesus and with that pure motive and consecration in our hearts! God is a holy God, and He knows the motive of every heart. So we cannot allow the bondage of what others may think to steal our joy of this season.


What a Blessed time of the year it is! We Celebrate YOU Jesus!  with bright lights shining, garland and tinsel, special music, gifts, good friends and fellowship...Oh! and good food too!  Jingle bells! LOL!

"...that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth." Philippians 2:10