I love Christmas!

I love Christmas!
I know sometimes this is not popular...
But I can't help it.
I love everything about it.

When everyone is saying,
"We haven't even had Thanksgiving yet!!"
I'm secretly thinking,
"Hurry up Thanksgiving,
Christmas is coming!!!"
Not that I'm not thankful!
I just can hardly wait.

Things I love about Christmas:
Not in order, by the way,
just as they come to me...

1. I love the fact that you can tell others
about Jesus without them even realizing you are.
People are way more tolerant of your witnessing
during Christmas season.

2. I love all the sparkly lights!
They just cheer me up, somehow.
When the kids were little we would drive
through neighborhoods and look at lights.
It's free! Which is one of the reasons we did it!

3. I LOVE Christmas carols.
Not during the rest of the year...
but I can start listening to them before Thanksgiving.
They're such happy, hopeful songs.
Songs of the awaited Saviour of the world.
Who would not want to sing about that.

4. I love that families get together.
(Whether they like it or not!)
My family growing up never focused
on the things we didn't agree on...
We focused on our love for each other.
It's OK if we don't have the same opinion about something.
Let's enjoy each other.
So far I have had at least one or two kids
around at Christmas.
I'm thankful for that.
I told Russell the first year that we
didn't have any kids coming...
I want to spend Christmas in Manhatten!
(Don't ask...it's a long story)

5. I love all the decorations!
I love putting them up...
I love looking for new ideas on the net...
(my new favorite site: Craftgawker.com)
I love seeing them in someone else's house...
(so I can steal the idea next year)
and I LOVE opening my Christmas chest
of decorations and seeing all the stuff I love!

6. I love shopping.
Now this for sure isn't popular!
But I love seeing all the weird people...
and normal ones, too.
The music playing in the stores...
Buying things for people I love...
(Figuring out the perfect gift)
Everyone is usually joyful and happy.
Russell and I love Black Friday.
Always have.
All the commotion and noise and activity.
(Not in Wal-Mart though)
This year we were sick...
Had to shop online.
Not near as fun.

6. I love all festivity
of a Christmas Program.
I love knowing people will come out
to see a Christmas Program when
they normally will never come out to church.
I love knowing they are hearing the gospel...
and, just maybe, it will change their life forever.
Like it did mine.

7. I love the anticipation. Getting everything
ready. Making gifts, planning menus, making lists.
I even kinda like the stress. I work well under
pressure, so it pushes me to get things done.

8. And most of all, I love the fact
that someone loved me enough to leave
his kingdom, come to this wretched earth...
and die for me so I could spend eternity with Him.
What a wonderful Saviour we have!

So even though Christmas is very commercial,
it doesn't have to be in my heart.
It's a time of joy, anticipation, and Thanksgiving,
and a celebration of the Christian Life!

If you don't like this season...
that's OK...but likewise let it be OK
that I love it!