What Christmas means to me........

My hubby and I have been married over 18 years. We have had very nice big Christmases and some not so big Christmases. We have had Christmas in a hotel room, in a city in the desert, earlier than the 25th (because I work in the health care system and had to work Christmas day). We have done presents, and had Christmases with no presents. We have traveled and stayed home. Some times it has felt like Christmas and sometimes not.

I remember some Christmases when I was single and spending the day in the hospital because my parents were there as patients. I remember Christmases just wishing it (life) would be different. I remember Christmases where I thought life couldn't be better!

But as I grow older, my idea of Christmas is changing. We have young girls so we do the tree, the lights, the fun part, the gifts to each other and others less fortunate, and we enjoy that. There is nothing wrong. But I look forward to Christmas for other reasons.

These reasons have a lot to do with my spiritual walk with the Lord! Yes, Christmas is about the birth of our savior. Christmas is a time to focus on my Lord and Savior and all He has done for me esp. dying on the Cross for me.  I have come to realize that the Christmases where I feel the worst (spiritually) has a lot to do where I am in my walk with the Lord! If my focus is just on Christmas and not on Christ and the Cross, then I have no peace! I feel empty and dead! But if I focus and celebrate that Jesus came down from His throne.
We can't celebrate just the birth, we must remember why He came down! To be our Savior! Praise God!

Christmas means to me the Cross! He came down, took the form of man to bear my cross! To take my place!

Now some people may say that is Easter but to me you can't have Christmas without the Easter story!
Thank You Lord! Thank you for Christmas and for Easter!


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