My favorite time of year...

I know this is probably your favorite time too. CHRISTMAS!! I love it! Everyone seems happier, the spirit in the air is sweeter, everyone says (or should say) Merry Christmas (instead of the alternative but politically correct Happy Holidays). Nobody cares if you add a few extra holiday pounds as long as you enjoy the cookies and fudge they brought to you. As a family we love to curl up in front of our wood burning fire place and watch the Hallmark channel's Christmas movies drinking hot chocolate. The house is a little more cluttered, but who cares, it's Christmas! The lighting is perfect thanks to the glow of our Christmas trees. We get to display the village that we each have painted a building in. All of these happy thoughts bring me back to my favorite Christmas tradition as a kid. We had several, but this was by far my favorite. All of my dad's family would come over to our house for a big dinner a week or two before Christmas. Everyone would bring something from dressing, vegetables to this famous stack cake my Aunt Sadie would make. Then after stuffing ourselves we would head to the Singing Christmas Tree at our church. It was magical to a little girls eyes. It is probably the most memorable for me because it was at one of these events that I realized that I was a sinner and in need of the love and forgiveness that only Christ could give. I was saved at a Singing Christmas Tree. This proves it could happen at any time and any place. Of course it took years for me to realize just how much of a sacrifice it was for God to give his son for me. I strayed as many Christians do thinking I could do it on my own and religion was a good fuzzy feeling type of thing to fall back on if needed or go to church on Sunday to remain a good christian. I am now so thankful to know the love I have available to me. All that said, each Christmas I think back to my childhood and that decision I made all those years ago. Thankfully I did not know or understand it all then, nor do I now. I get to learn more each day. But I think Christmas has a way of bringing out that child in all of us. The bible says we should come to him with child like hearts. I think at Christmas you have that child like heart God seeks us to have year round. May you find that inner child and share that spirit with others. Merry Christmas!!