“Want to keep Christ in Christmas? Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, forgive the guilty, welcome the unwanted, care for the ill, love your enemies, and do unto others as you would have done unto you.”
We spend so much time and effort in shopping as Christmas draws near. But Christmas celebrations are meaningless, if Christ is not in the picture. We bring Christ in Christmas by walking in the footsteps of Christ Jesus, and forgiving the guilty, loving our enemies, by being merciful, kind, loving and generous. Thanks Evan for this very relevant inspiration as Christmas is round the corner.
This Christmas, I will spend more time loving, forgiving and caring for the poor and needy instead of making Christmas just another occasion for partying.
For some time now I have made Christmas the time when I honor the best in those around me, in thought and in deed. When my nieces and nephews were young I really didn’t always know what they were interested in so gift giving was a gamble. I decided to give a gift to who they really were and it became a lot of fun. Often they gift was their favorite or their parent would remark how I always seem to find the best gift or who knew their child had an interest in this. I actually enjoy Christmas because for me it is a time to ‘pull out all the stops’ on honoring who my friends, family, the postman,etc. are. It is work but I really enjoy the thought that goes into it.
I am so grateful for the ministry of Jesus. I am grateful I have had the opportunity to learn and understand more of this great gift to the world.
Thanks, Nadine. This is so true. One Christmas when I was trying to think what to give distant but important family, a similar thought came to me. So every time I thought of each one, I prayed to see their true individuality and listened quietly for what to pray about. It was a lovely Christmas, in my thought and in life. I don’t remember the actual presents, but I do remember the major change in one person’s life. She had lived for many years with someone who almost never had a job, and she cared for his family like a nurse, while he watched TV most of the time. Somewhere around December she decided to take a much better job in another state, and told him he could come with her if he could pay half the rent on a new apartment and agree to get and hold a job. They broke up, she moved, and this change ultimately led to marriage, children, and a much richer life experience in every area of her life. That is a gift given by the Christ!
I am wondering…….who is Steve Maraboli….??? The quote from him sounds like a paraphrase on what Jesus said in the Bible about..”When I was in prison, you visited me, when I was hungry, you fed me, when I was naked you clothed me,…….” etc. I do believe Christmas is a time for sharing and caring and for letting the Peace of the Christ into our Hearts so that we can Love and Bless this World!
The greatest gift is the gift of love and I received it this year from my estranged great grandson who is 17 years old. He was my granddaughter’s son by her first marriage and her second husband didn’t accept him, so he moved out last June and went to live with his father. The rest of the family has had no contact with him since. But I did obtain an address, possibly only for mail, but I started sending him cards just for special occasions so as not to be intrusive: a birthday card with $20.00 in September, a Halloween card in October, a Thanksgiving card in November, and lastly a Christmas card with $20.00 tucked inside. I didn’t really know if he had received any of them, but last week received a thank you card from him thanking me for all I’ve done for him over the years. What a great gift – the best ever – and one to be truly treasured!
When we employ the living Christ, we find how thankful we are knowing God’s Love is always with us. It is easy to acknowledge what we have in our relationships, family, and friends.
The greatest gift of all is Gods daily love for us.
I don’t believe in tradition. I do believe in action. Christmas is an every moment affair where we express our God given abilities. We give because we love to. We practice what is right because God created us to do that. It’s an action instead of a mortal promise.
We spend so much time and effort in shopping as Christmas draws near. But Christmas celebrations are meaningless, if Christ is not in the picture. We bring Christ in Christmas by walking in the footsteps of Christ Jesus, and forgiving the guilty, loving our enemies, by being merciful, kind, loving and generous. Thanks Evan for this very relevant inspiration as Christmas is round the corner.
This Christmas, I will spend more time loving, forgiving and caring for the poor and needy instead of making Christmas just another occasion for partying.
For some time now I have made Christmas the time when I honor the best in those around me, in thought and in deed. When my nieces and nephews were young I really didn’t always know what they were interested in so gift giving was a gamble. I decided to give a gift to who they really were and it became a lot of fun. Often they gift was their favorite or their parent would remark how I always seem to find the best gift or who knew their child had an interest in this. I actually enjoy Christmas because for me it is a time to ‘pull out all the stops’ on honoring who my friends, family, the postman,etc. are. It is work but I really enjoy the thought that goes into it.
I am so grateful for the ministry of Jesus. I am grateful I have had the opportunity to learn and understand more of this great gift to the world.
Thanks, Nadine. This is so true. One Christmas when I was trying to think what to give distant but important family, a similar thought came to me. So every time I thought of each one, I prayed to see their true individuality and listened quietly for what to pray about. It was a lovely Christmas, in my thought and in life. I don’t remember the actual presents, but I do remember the major change in one person’s life. She had lived for many years with someone who almost never had a job, and she cared for his family like a nurse, while he watched TV most of the time. Somewhere around December she decided to take a much better job in another state, and told him he could come with her if he could pay half the rent on a new apartment and agree to get and hold a job. They broke up, she moved, and this change ultimately led to marriage, children, and a much richer life experience in every area of her life. That is a gift given by the Christ!
I am wondering…….who is Steve Maraboli….??? The quote from him sounds like a paraphrase on what Jesus said in the Bible about..”When I was in prison, you visited me, when I was hungry, you fed me, when I was naked you clothed me,…….” etc. I do believe Christmas is a time for sharing and caring and for letting the Peace of the Christ into our Hearts so that we can Love and Bless this World!
The greatest gift is the gift of love and I received it this year from my estranged great grandson who is 17 years old. He was my granddaughter’s son by her first marriage and her second husband didn’t accept him, so he moved out last June and went to live with his father. The rest of the family has had no contact with him since. But I did obtain an address, possibly only for mail, but I started sending him cards just for special occasions so as not to be intrusive: a birthday card with $20.00 in September, a Halloween card in October, a Thanksgiving card in November, and lastly a Christmas card with $20.00 tucked inside. I didn’t really know if he had received any of them, but last week received a thank you card from him thanking me for all I’ve done for him over the years. What a great gift – the best ever – and one to be truly treasured!
When we employ the living Christ, we find how thankful we are knowing God’s Love is always with us. It is easy to acknowledge what we have in our relationships, family, and friends.
The greatest gift of all is Gods daily love for us.
I don’t believe in tradition. I do believe in action. Christmas is an every moment affair where we express our God given abilities. We give because we love to. We practice what is right because God created us to do that. It’s an action instead of a mortal promise.