 Christmas Through the Year ~Norman Vincent Peale Even now I find it difficult to sleep on Christmas Eve. The excitement of Christmas is still there no matter my age. So many times through the year we hear people say, "If everyday could be like Christmas time". If we have the faith and love of Jesus in our hearts and minds we can live with the spirit of Christmas every day of the year. We get swept up with all the Christmas Lights, decorating of trees, and the shopping and buying of gifts but the Spirit of Christmas is there even when we are busy doing these things. Giving of tangible gifts to each other is a symbol of God giving his son and we celebrat it with a holiday called Chrismas. It doesnt mean we have to give a wrapped gift all the time. Although sometimes with all the holidays and birthdays it does seem we are always buying something for someone. We give throughout the year in different ways. We give to different charities that come to pick up hand me downs. A lot of people give money through United Way at their work. Many people give blood freely to the blood banks throughout the year. I know one person who makes an abundance of platelets in his blood and he gives it freely because they are badly needed for cancer patients and newborn babies. Others give by helping a neighbor or taking a friend to the doctor. Volunteering at the hospital or any volunteer work you do is a gift. A gift of your of your time. The gifts we give all through the year we really dont think about them as giving a present. But it is not only a present to that person or group of people but also a present to God. People give money to God at church and dont think about where it is used. Paying the different people who work in the church, including the Pastor. Utility bills for the church and upkeep of the church The church does charitable work and helps many people so your money is also used for that. A church does not run itself. You also give your time at church and to me that is one of the most important things to do and hardest for us . Sometimes its easy to give money on Sunday and do nothing else the rest of the week but giving of your time to visit helping with functions, teaching Sunday School and other things that are much needed at the church are all forms of giving throughout the year. The spirit of Christmas is what is missing at other times in the year. We get busy with everyday life and trials but I believe it lies there in most of our hearts, waiting for us to have a peaceful moment in time to think and let our minds remember and rejoice. Charles Dickens once Said: " I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys." May Peace and Love be your gift this Christmas and may God bless you all year through! Gayl Wells belcherblues.com |