Merry Christmas!

So, I feel like most of these posts so far have been super in-your-face, and for the holiday season I just want to use this space to glorify God! You see, Christmas comes earlier and earlier every year. It used to start on December 1st. It started creeping up, moving to the day after Thanksgiving, and now the beginning of November for many stores and some families. At some point we will literally find ourselves knee deep in wrapping paper, bows, name tags, and ribbons--sound familiar? Our normal driving playlists are replaced by Christmas music like Trans Siberian Orchestra, renditions of the Nutcracker, and classics like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman. The tree is decorated, lights are on the bushes, we're ready for Christmas. Bring it on. But are we really completely ready yet?

Our brains are flooded with words like "gifts". Shopping. Stockings. Tree. Decorations. Family. Parties. Turkey. Cards.

In the midst of the holidays, even if you're in a heckuvarush like the Whos in Whoville, we all need to make time to think about words like "Christ." The first half of "Christmas." Peace. Hope. Savior. Joy.

It's a little sad that we're so incredibly busy with all these earthly things that it's seen as taking a break from the holidays to make time for the real reason for the season. But that's the way it is, and you simply can't miss your office party, and school party, and team party, etc. And that's great. Go to all of these things, have fun, Christmas only comes once a year. Just remember why you're doing all these things, why the chill in the air is somewhat tolerable for one more month before winter becomes tiring, why the smile on your face is a little bit warmer.

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.
⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
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." 

I can't sum it up much better than Luke 2:1-20. 

Merry Christmas and God Bless!