| The Spirit of Christmas |
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| VCCC News |
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I love Christmas. It is, without question, my favorite time of the year. I start thinking about the holidays as early as summertime, and the minute there’s a hint of frost in the air, I’m ready to get out the Christmas tree. And although I try to make myself wait until the week of Thanksgiving to start listening to Christmas music, I always break down and listen as soon as B98 makes the switch to holiday music (which admittedly seems to be earlier and earlier every year). Although I do receive some good-natured ribbing from family and friends about being a little overenthusiastic about the holidays, I still say that it’s never too early to start thinking about Christmas (although putting up decorations in July is probably a little extreme). In fact, the spirit of Christmas is something we should carry with us the whole year round – not just the month of December. Giving, joy, and peace are three traits commonly associated with Christmas that we can practice at any time. Giving – During the holidays, we think of giving presents and plates full of Christmas goodies. However, we should be giving all the time. It can be something as simple as a smile or a compliment designed to brighten someone’s day, or money or groceries for someone who is struggling financially. God has given us the ultimate gift – His Son, Jesus Christ – and He wants us to share the good news about that gift with others. Joy – Sometimes it’s easy to look at society and all of its problems and have a hard time finding joy in everyday life. Yet the words of the classic Christmas carol – “Joy to the world, the Lord has come...” – remind us that Jesus gives us a reason to smile. Take a minute to step back from your problems and look for simple things that bring you joy – like a hug, a cup of hot chocolate, or hearing your favorite song on the radio. Jesus has given us so many blessings that can warm our hearts even in difficult times. Peace – It’s also hard to find a lot of peace in modern society. With our hectic, fast-paced schedules and impossibly long to-do lists, we don’t always take time to stop and just be at peace. Even during the holidays we may find it difficult to stop and enjoy the season, too busy with shopping, baking, and other errands. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a moment to simply be quiet and enjoy God’s presence and experience the “heavenly peace” the song “Silent Night” so beautiful speaks about. Whether you’re like me and ready to get out the Christmas tree as soon as possible, or whether it’s a rule in your house to wait until at least after Thanksgiving to get out the decorations, you can start getting into the true spirit of Christmas right now. And remember that even after the tree comes down, you can keep the Christmas spirit going. |