Letter From Jesus

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can’t  afford and they don’t need, spend time with them.  Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with  you down here.  Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5 Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don’t know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren’t allowed to wish you a “Merry Christmas” that doesn’t keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn’t make so much money on that day they’d close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here’s a good one.  There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no “Christmas” tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don’t know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don’t do things in secret that you wouldn’t do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don’t forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I’ll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I’ll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember :

I LOVE YOU,

Jesus Christ of Nazareth

It’s that time of year again.  Time for people to start whining about “taking Christ out of Christmas” or complaining about other religions and their audacity to celebrate differently.  It’s like we think the month of December belongs solely to Christians and heaven forbid anyone else publicly express their beliefs or try to be considerate of others by the use of that dirty word, “holiday”.  Which means “holy day” but never let facts get in the way of a good display of outrage.  Or how about that silly notion that any use of “x-mas” means one is crossing Christ out of Christmas?  No matter that X is the Greek symbol for Christ.  Nope.  If others don’t celebrate Christmas in a precisely and narrowly defined way they are ridiculed, despised and scorned. 

Fortunately World Net Daily now sanctions the celebration of Hanukkah by Christians so we can quit fussing about that one.  Yep, we now have permission to celebrate Hanukkah just like Jesus did.  (This year, Hanukkah started at sundown on December 1st and as always, lasts eight days.)  I’m still trying to find just the right Menorah but we did have latkes last week.  Yum! 

Now we just have to worry about Kwanzaa and the Winter Solstice.  Oh, and Muharram, the Islamic New Year which begins tomorrow, December 7th.  And let’s not forget those pesky atheists and agnostics who simply want to celebrate the cultural aspects of Christmas in the United States by putting up a Christmas tree, stringing some lights and drinking eggnog.  Does it really affect you personally if someone else celebrates differently, or not at all?  When a store clerk wishes me “Happy Holidays” I don’t automatically assume they hate Jesus.  Perhaps they lack the superpower of clairvoyance, don’t know what holiday I celebrate and simply choose to use a pleasant, innocuous phrase, much like “Have a good day”.  If they have a smile on their face and give me correct change I’m thrilled. 

Personally, I’m taking Jesus’ wish list in the letter above seriously and am going to try to do all of them.  I have cards sitting here beside me for numbers 1, 3 and 5.  I already know who I’m visiting for number 2 and I might try to get some friends together to sing carols at a local nursing home like we’ve done in the past.  Number 4 is something we’ve always tried to focus on and part of our kids’ gifts will include a special weekend together.  Numbers 6 and 7 are already part of how I try to respond to people but I’ll make an even greater effort, especially with those who are rude or unpleasant.  I’m on the lookout for the right opportunities for 8 and 9 (suggestions for a missionary?).  And of course number 10 is the biggie.  It’s simple yet not always easy.  Christ summed it up when He said we are to love God and love others.  It’s the second part which can trip us up sometimes but I’m really working on it.  I’ve got a challenge in loving the unlovable coming up on Friday so we’ll find out how I do with that. 

So, how do you plan to make this last month of 2010 meaningful?  What holiday(s) do you celebrate?  I’d love to hear about your traditions and celebrations.  

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