My family has always loved Christmas. Family gatherings were especially wonderful. The food, laughter and excitement of opening gifts were more than any child could stand.

We moved to Upstate New York when I was 7 years old and that meant getting together with family wasn’t as frequent. So the times we were together became even more special.

One Christmas that I remember well was the year my sister, brother and I received bicycles. Oh, the excitement when we rounded the corner and saw them. My parents really did a great job that year!

However, we lived in Upstate New York where we received an average of 115 inches of snow per year. That means there is snow on the ground from October to May. There was no chance of riding those bikes outside for several months.

So once again, my parents came to the rescue. We hauled the bikes to the basement and we rode around in circles until the snow melted in the spring. Perhaps this is where my NASCAR fan roots actually began.

Christmas is a special time and gift-giving is fun. But if we stop there, we are really missing what Christmas is all about.

In the Emmy and Peabody award winning special, A Charlie Brown Christmas[i], Linus understands what Christmas is about. He recites the passage from Luke 2:8-14.

There are other programs that get the Christmas story into the plot. Those programs are to be commended for keeping the Christ child in the middle of their Christmas, but they are becoming harder and harder to find these days.

In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of Christmas, how are you keeping Christ before you? Are you making an effort to remember Jesus each day? Do you speak of God’s gift to those you have influence over? Does your lifestyle reflect the sacrifice, the love, the grace, the forgiveness given through the incarnation of God?

Is your excitement limited during the Christmas season to the worldly view of Christmas? Or does your excitement equal that of the shepherds? How do others view your excitement?

Another element to the Christmas story is the visit of the wise men (Matthew 2:1-12). They traveled a great distance. They left their homes, their families, their conveniences to find a King. They followed His star.

The wise men were overjoyed.

Are you overjoyed this Christmas season? Certainly there are those reading this post who are having difficulty in life. There are troubles to be found. But when Christmas is about the Christ child, we have every reason to be overjoyed.

We see also that the wise men bowed and worshiped the King. In the midst of our troubling days, we must take the time to worship our King.

And perhaps you are searching. Searching for the Christ child as the shepherds and wise men did so long ago. There is no reason to continue with the search. The King of all kings has already arrived. He’s ready to sit on the throne of your heart. Are you prepared for His entrance?

Please don’t allow another Christmas season to pass without taking note of the real meaning of Christmas. Or perhaps you know the Christ child and it’s time to share Him with those around you.

There were plenty of Christmases filled with joy and excitement for my siblings and myself as we were growing up. We were blessed with parents who created special moments for us. The memories of those times are held dear and we speak of them often. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for the memories!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna