My Christmas is coming to an end, but only as the day. As I preached in my Sermons last night and this morning, Christmas is something that needs to be celebrated all year long - it is the celebration of the birth of Jesus, who made the ultimate sacrifice for each and every one of us.
But as I was thinking about my day, and how it was different than last year, and different than years past, I started to think about all sorts of things...
For example, I seem to remember, as a kid, going home and hearing whatever was on the radio being interrupted by updates from NORAD on Santa's location. Now, you can log on from about any social media and get current updates as well as video feeds.
And in line with that, I remember how packed our church was. One year, my brother and I lit the candles down the aisles of the church. Now that I've seen the church as an adult, it doesn't seem like it as a lot, but as a kid, it felt like a thousand candles, with a million pairs of eyes watching.
And now as an adult, I think back, and I wonder in some ways. I ponder on my brother's words from last year as he wrote of how my "job" has me "working" at Christmastime, and, as he put it, "as he usually has some more important matters to tend to during, what I would
consider, the most important time of year for any Christian."
But as I gave the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Worship Services, I looked out upon the crowds, and I couldn't help but noticed who was there and who wasn't. Some people had already saw me and mentioned that they would be with family - in some cases, shut-ins, and that is most important.
The last 24 hours was an important time, with an important Theme and Message all tied together. This past couple of days is the start of something critical.
This past month is the beginning of a different way of thinking, a different way of living.
The question is, to again, use my brother's words, is it the most important time of the year?
