Christmas Time is Here!

It's mid-December, and it's cold outside. Hot Cocoa is a must when you're sitting by the tree, watching a movie with a warm, cozy blanket, next to your little brothers and sisters. I find myself singing Christmas songs often, and when I think about Christmas and the certain feeling this time of year brings to me, I am filled with happiness. It truly is the "most wonderful time of the year". Even with the stress of buying presents for everyone, attending all the Christmas parties preparing the big Christmas dinner, everyone still finds time to relax and enjoy the holiday season. I am so thankful for that!

Sadly, even though many take time to rest and spend time with their family, they aren't celebrating what Christmas is really about. We've talked about that every year, but this year I got a different take on it. I thought about it in a new way, and it impacted me a lot. Instead of just knowing that a lot of people in this world, and even people that I know, love, and are maybe even celebrating Christmas with, don't understand or appreciate what the holiday really signifies, and just accepting it, I should TELL THEM WHAT THEY'RE MISSING OUT ON! I should tell them what they don't understand, and how the world has twisted Christmas to be something different than what it should be. Not just knowing that they don't get it, and know that I do, so I'm all right. I should be telling them that they're missing out on the joy of celebrating and truly understanding what Jesus' birth means! I've been thinking about that a lot this holiday season, and I want to do something about it! As I try to not just know that I am one of the few that understands the true meaning of Christmas, I encourage you to think about this as you celebrate Christmas this year as well.

Another reason I love Christmas time is spending time with the people I love and care about most. Talking to my little brother Christian about the Christmas story, and seeing that he understands what the story means. The joy and excitement he gets when he learns something new about the story that he didn't know before, is so cool. Hearing him tell the story is adorable, too.

It has been so fun to get together with friends and spend time with each other, too. The youth group had a big Game night, where we all got together and played board games, ate cookies, and watched the Survivor finale. It was so much fun!

Four of my closest girl friends and I also got together and exchanged Christmas gifts. The five of us hadn't been able to all hang out toegether in a long time, so that was really great.

We get to do so many fun things at Christmas time.... exchange gifts, decorate the christmas tree, listen to fun music, make yummy Christmas cookies, spend time with family....but most importantly, reflect on the incredible, life changing story found in Luke chapter 2.

Merry Christmas!