The real Reason for the season

With less than 48 hours left before Christmas Day, I know that many of us feel overwhelmed with everything that needs to get done between now and then. Let's all try to slow down, take a deep breath, and focus on the reason for the season. This might sound trite, but it is important to do. If you are a parent, I doubt your kids will care if the presents are wrapped in haste in a haphazard manner or if the house is not perfectly clean. Christmas dinner doesn't have to be perfect-your family and/or loved ones will enjoy it even if the turkey is dry, and the pie crust is not homemade. They will care that the ENTIRE family was able to spend time together and celebrate our Savior's birth.

Having seen my fair share of people running around during the holidays over the last 28 years, I often marvel at how the meaning of Christmas becomes lost in the chaos of the season. Instead of focusing on spending time with your loved ones, we've entrenched ourselves in a gift giving frenzy. We buy gifts for people because we think that's what you do at Christmas. Please know that I'm not saying buying gifts for people is bad or wrong...I love finding the perfect gift for someone. I just don't think that stressing out over finding the most amazing gift for someone who already has everything they need is necessary. What about gifts of time, service, and love? I would really like to see our society move away from giving hoards of gifts at Christmas and focus on the more important aspects of the season. Let's give thanks for the many gifts we already have like family, friends, pets, and the most important gift of all, Jesus' sacrifice to us. That gift came at a great price, and yet it is free to everyone. It came in a most unconventional way, but it remains the most significant gift of all times.

I hope you find time this Christmas season to relax and spend time with loved ones. More importantly, I pray that we don't forget to pause and thank God for the real Reason for the season.