8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
THAT, my friends, is what Christmas is all about. : ) It is the reason for the season.
It's a time to gather with family and friends, reminiscing about Christmases past and enjoying each others company. It is a time to remember with love those we miss the most each year at this time.
It is a time to bake too many cookies and consume too many calories and to dread stepping on the scales.
It is the time when the best of who and what we are is brought to light in the giving that we do. Not just the giving of prettily wrapped packages or of spare change into the little red kettles, but the giving of ourselves. The time we take to be a little more polite and the effort we make to be a little kinder to those we encounter.
It's the time when the greatest joy is found... in the twinkling eyes of a child; in the ringing of a child's laughter; in the childlike anticipation that bubbles up within each and every one of us as Christmas draws nearer.
May your December be FILLED TO THE BRIM! With love, laughter, and most of all, HOPE. : )
