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From the Pastor’s Heart ....      

CHRISTMAS

Can this really be the Christmas holidays already?  How is it possible?  Worse than that, I can hardly believe that I went shopping on the day after Thanksgiving.  I’m amazed at all that one could possibly buy, and I wonder how there is any joy in my life, my wife’s or my kids’ lives without most of the stuff that the “billboards” tell us we must have.  That leads up to the larger question that we parents face and that is how can we keep the real meaning of Christmas from getting so commercialized in our own families? 

Every year we preachers make everyone feel guilty with the same thoughts about materialism and the lack of Jesus in Christmas.  But what can we do about it?  Although I’m not in favor of dancing around a candle, I do think that an advent emphasis can help us to instill within our families the reason for Christmas.  There are loads of materials available from ministries and I can only imagine if one would do a on-line search with “advent” just how many sites you would discover.  Now I would like to point out that you will not find advent in the Bible.  It is church tradition.  Even still, I would like to add that this tradition can be used to keep our minds on what Christmas is all about.  Oh sure, just like any tradition, all the warnings must be heeded.

You know, I think I would like to do an advent wreath in our family this year.  Maybe it will be a way (among others) that will help us to keep Jesus in His rightful place in this ever maddening holiday season we call Christmas. If  you’re feeling guilty about the lack of Jesus in your Christmas celebrations, then do something about it!  Make an intentional effort to make this a season of celebrating the time when our Lord Jesus Christ came to earth as a babe.  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Merry Christmas,  Tim

For questions or comments you may email the pastor at timbev2@yahoo.com or the webmaster at hffinc@i-c.net