Yes...even though we're less than a week away from Christmas, I did take the time yesterday to put up Christmas lights outside. Of course I'm sure my neighbors are thrilled that they get to listen to Christmas music outside for the remainder of the week while my lights flash on and off. The new gutters were in place when I got home from work Saturday. Sunday was a little busy so I didn't make it outside, but on Monday I started early in the morning putting up lights.
One set across the front of the house. One set around the front door and on the pine branches on the bench on my front porch. One set on the bushes at the corner of my front porch. One set on the dwarf lilac bush next to my front porch. One set on the bush next to that. Then I went to the store and bought a couple snowmen to put on one side of my yard.
I woke up a little sore this morning, but still found the energy to run a few miles on the treadmill before work. So now I'm not one of the few dark houses on my streets, and since the neighbors on both sides had decorations out front, it was nice to include my house in the mix.
At church on Sunday there was a lot of emphasis put on people finding it difficult to really celebrate this Christmas. With the economy being what it is, and the fact that life doesn't stop being difficult just because it's December, we do need to remember that not everyone is having a happy Christmas season, and this makes it more important than ever to really focus on the true meaning and reason for the Christmas season.
People close to me are struggling this season. One of my neighbors told me yesterday that she has had to file bankruptcy due to several medical issues that have created a real financial hardship for her and her family. Others I know are facing relatives who are ill and may not make through the week. It seems as though this year I personally know more people who are struggling than I've ever known in the past. Maybe this is God's way of making realize how blessed I am and helping me to focus on what I have, and not what I don't have. Maybe this is God's way of getting me to focus less on the lights and presents that I'll give this year and focus more on why we celebrate this time of year.
I'll still celebrate the holiday with friends and family. I'll still enjoy the lights and the presents. I'll still listen to Christmas songs and do all the secular celebrating that I've done every year. I'll still track Santa on noradsanta.org on Christmas Eve. But this year I'll be conscious of those who can't. This year I'll be conscious of just why this time of year is so important to both Christians and non-Christians all over the world.
We celebrate Christmas because "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
One set across the front of the house. One set around the front door and on the pine branches on the bench on my front porch. One set on the bushes at the corner of my front porch. One set on the dwarf lilac bush next to my front porch. One set on the bush next to that. Then I went to the store and bought a couple snowmen to put on one side of my yard.
I woke up a little sore this morning, but still found the energy to run a few miles on the treadmill before work. So now I'm not one of the few dark houses on my streets, and since the neighbors on both sides had decorations out front, it was nice to include my house in the mix.
At church on Sunday there was a lot of emphasis put on people finding it difficult to really celebrate this Christmas. With the economy being what it is, and the fact that life doesn't stop being difficult just because it's December, we do need to remember that not everyone is having a happy Christmas season, and this makes it more important than ever to really focus on the true meaning and reason for the Christmas season.
People close to me are struggling this season. One of my neighbors told me yesterday that she has had to file bankruptcy due to several medical issues that have created a real financial hardship for her and her family. Others I know are facing relatives who are ill and may not make through the week. It seems as though this year I personally know more people who are struggling than I've ever known in the past. Maybe this is God's way of making realize how blessed I am and helping me to focus on what I have, and not what I don't have. Maybe this is God's way of getting me to focus less on the lights and presents that I'll give this year and focus more on why we celebrate this time of year.
I'll still celebrate the holiday with friends and family. I'll still enjoy the lights and the presents. I'll still listen to Christmas songs and do all the secular celebrating that I've done every year. I'll still track Santa on noradsanta.org on Christmas Eve. But this year I'll be conscious of those who can't. This year I'll be conscious of just why this time of year is so important to both Christians and non-Christians all over the world.
We celebrate Christmas because "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
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