Friday, November 16, 2007

THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Exodus 12:26

And when your children ask you, "What does this ceremony mean to you?"

THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING

Oh my gosh! Have you looked at the calendar? IT IS ALMOST THANKSGIVING. That means Christmas is soon to follow. Will it all get done? Watching all those football games and parades. Cooking dinner. Shopping. Putting up the tree. Decorating. Shopping. Wrapping presents. Oh my gosh! I just know I will forget something. I will not have enough time.

Do you feel this way as the holidays approach? If so -- take a deep breath. It will be okay.

Looking back at the first paragraph, do you see anything missing? Look again.

Well, you can tell the priorities are all wrong.

Thanksgiving is NOT about football games and a big meal. It is about being THANKFUL. Thankful for the things in life: family, friends, indoor plumbing, the smile on any child's face. Thankful for the winning team graciously shaking the hands of their opponent. Thankful for a meal shared or the quiet time to enjoy a meal with a table full of memories.

Christmas is NOT shopping, putting up the tree and all that other stuff. Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus.

As you look at the calendar and you start to hyperventilate, take a deep breath. It will be okay, because you are going to make Thanksgiving about giving thanks and you are going to make Christmas about Jesus.

Celebrate Thanksgiving. Celebrate the birth of Jesus.

The scripture from Exodus was the beginning of an instruction on how the Israelites were to explain Passover to the next generation. How would God instruct you to explain Thanksgiving and Christmas?

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

Have you put the holiday celebrations in the proper order? Are you stressing out that there is too much to do? Are you worrying that there will not be enough money to buy all the gifts? Do you dread the holidays because you are alone or have memories of past holidays that were not so great? If so, what can you do to make the holidays good for you?

Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.

LET US PRAY

Dear Jesus, I am thankful for all the blessings in my life. Those I see and those I just walk by without even noticing. I am thankful for __________________________. I am also looking ahead to Christmas. When I celebrate your birth. During this holiday season, let me not forget why I am excited. Let me not forget that I am celebrating the best present ever -- the birth of God's Son. ………………………………… Amen

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