Reflecting on the season and all that goes on in our lives…I have always been a Christmas guy.  As a kid I enjoyed the lights, the music and family gatherings and of course the presents.  As I and my faith have grown I realize that Christmas was the starting point for me to really deepen my faith.  As an adult in mind and a kid at heart I still enjoy the lights, the music and the family gatherings…I now enjoy the giving far more than any receiving of presents.  Where we live I enjoy the snow and even the cold.  The change of season is natural to me it is God showing us his love using nature.  All that was alive in summer has passed on but it will all be reborn in springtime.  With the shorten daylight we set up lights to add color to the white world.  But most of all it seems to be the one time of year that the most people in the world actually recognizes Jesus Christ and his coming into the world.

At Christmas time I pray you see and feel a sense of…

Hope – God made a promise to you and everyone to love you and to never leave you…believe him and trust him with every area of your life.

Peace – Be content when your basic needs are fulfilled and share with others if you have been blessed with abundance…practice patience.

Joy – Wear a smile more often and make an effort to help others find their smile…focus on the positive in any situation.

Love – Life is more about how you treat others than how they treat you…you can’t control what others will think, say or do so don’t waste time worrying about it…do all that you do with love.

At Christmas time put Christ in the center of your life…with Christ you will know Hope, you will know Peace, you will know Joy and you will know that the Love of Christ in your heart will help you overcome anything this world can throw at you.

May you see and know God’s blessings in your life this Christmas and carry them with you all through the New Year!

Merry Christmas!