It is never my intent to offend any of my readers.  We have all been gifted with free will, the right to choose and make decisions for ourselves.  This is what seperates us as humans from all other beings.  With this in mind I wish to use this medium to share with you my beliefs.  You’ll note I said “share”, not “force upon”.  If your beliefs are contrary to mine we may have to respectfully disagree – I respect your right and thank you for respecting mine.

While Christmas has become a commercial holiday spanning the globe with people spending countless millions of Dollars, Pounds, Euros and Yen (to name but a few), I would like to take a moment to climb atop my blog soapbox and share the true meaning of Christmas.  While the date of December 25th is unimportant, the significance of the event being celebrated can not be overstated.

Slightly more than two thousand years ago, God, the creator of all that is, was and ever will be sent his son, born of a virgin, Mary, to live among us.  He was born in the lowliest of manners to the simplest of people and yet, he was the Son of God.  His birth was foretold by prophets, heralded by angels and whitnessed by shepards and their beasts.  Wise men travelled great distances to present gifts to the child messiah, Jesus. 

He lived a life totally devoid of sin and eventually died, presenting himself as a pure sacrifice for the sins of a world that had rejected him. 

On this day when we gather with family around trees to open gifts and to feast on turkey and ham, gingerbread and fruitcake (yes, I said fruitcake), let us all remember the gift our Heavenly Father gave to us; his only son – Jesus.

Luke 2: 1-20 (New International Version)

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”  

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”  So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  

When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen which were just as they had been told.