"...the Kingdom of heaven is for such as these..."

 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ I will begin this day.

I thank you, Lord, for having preserved me during the night. I will do my best to make all I do today pleasing to You and in accordance with Your will. My dear mother Mary, watch over me this day. My Guardian Angel, take care of me. St. Joseph and all you saints of God, pray for me. amen.

"When I consider the contrast between the first Christmas and this Christmas, I realize how far we’ve wandered.
Instead of filling the sky with declarations of deity, our airwaves are filled with grumblings over whether we should say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays.
Instead of making a big deal about Jesus and reflecting on the wonder of His coming, many get sucked into meaningless social media conversations about a coffee cup. What message are we sending to the world when we tell a secular company they can’t have a plain red cup?
What are we pondering? Where have we fixed our focus?
That first Christmas was much more than merry. It was filled with wonder and worship!
That first Christmas was fixed on Jesus.
More than having a merry Christmas, I’m stirred to have a meaningful Christmas that takes me back to the manger that led to the Cross. One that mixes the merry with the meditative. One that folds in the fruit of the Spirit with the fruit cake. One that lingers with both lively praise and low-bending prayers. One that harks the herald and helps the hungry.
Yes. I want us all to have a merry Christmas. But more than that, I want us to have a meaningful Christmas. Not one that is consumed with consuming or lost in senseless secondary conversations, but one that is fixed on adoration, celebration, consideration and awe! One that reflects on and gives thanks to God for sending Jesus to be our hope. One that is rich with depth and love and relationship. One that is full of His fullness of grace."

As one friend of mine said, " I that is so well said and exactly how I feel. I have reached the point where I am glad when the Holiday is over!"

Isn't that sad? How often do we say this about the birthday of a friend of ours? "Geeze, I can't wait until this stupid day is over because I tell ya, the consumerism is just killin' me!" 

Jesus IS our friend, the best one we will ever have! He was born for us, He lived for us...He DIED for us...and somehow, to so many, buying a brand new car or an expensive piece of jewelry is only what this season of joy is all about!
Ugh...
I told her and I will tell you:
"true..it is sad that we "can't wait until the holiday is over" so that we are no longer dealing with the consumerism of the season....but please...do what I do: turn off the TV and turn on beautiful Christmas music! Bake cookies (or something!) and allow yourself to feel that sense of wonder that used to carry us when we were kids! Remember days gone by when anticipation made the month drag on forever....go see a kids' play, go to church and just sit in the wonder of the silence. Soak up what Christmas IS all about!"

Remember my post from a couple of weeks back, the scene from "A Charlie Brown Christmas," when Linus explained what Christmas was all about? It is about the Birth of a Savior. It is NOT about anything else... and the best way to experience that simplicity is to do what kids do. Yup, be like a child! Even Jesus said, "the kingdom of heaven is for such as these."


"And that's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."