Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the One I Celebrate all year long from inside a warm house with an even warmer cup of coffee. I’m more tired than usual this time of year, but not because I’m caught up in the shopping and wrapping. I’m more tired than usual because I’m busy focusing on the greatest gifts of all – TIME and simple gifts made with my hands. There’s nothing better than going the extra mile for people you love. So, I’d much rather focus on TIME with my loved ones than any gift money could buy. Every piece of this holiday season is about Love at the farm. You won’t find anybody in this family squealing over a luxurious gift or a big price tag, although they’ve received plenty of those throughout the years. But you can be sure they’ll feel blessed to be spending time together as a family, and they’ll be sincerely grateful for all the gifts…especially those made with my heart and hands. What a sweet reminder to me this morning, straight from the Throne of my God, that the most precious gift is Love, and how we express it makes all the difference in the world.

In many ways, this time of year resembles a contest to me…who has the best lights in the neighborhood or the best presents under the tree? Who has the best Christmas party with the finest food and wine, and who sends out the most cards? It’s funny and sad all at the same time when you think about it – most people celebrate Christmas…even the ones that want nothing at all to do with Jesus Christ any other time of the year, and they don’t mind telling you that they’re offended by the mention of His Name. The glitz and glamour, the lights and gifts are just too good to refuse, so the ones who don’t Believe and all the ones who do ALL set out to make it a Christmas to remember, and before you know it, you can’t tell the Believers from the non-believers throughout the “holiday” season at all. Believers are happy to say “Merry Christmas” as if we just “won the right” to speak His Name…but beyond the words, does it really look and feel like the Celebration of the Birth of the Greatest Gift the world has ever known, OR do we slip in a little Jesus in the midst of the festivities?

It’s a good thing Jesus has the capacity to Love greater than any man, that’s for sure. Leave it to Him to keep Loving and Forgiving while His People blend the Message of the Birth of the Greatest Gift the world has ever known with Hollywood-style glitz and glamour. How sad to see His People teaching their children to give credit to a fictitious man who checks their character before showering them with gifts…as if the Message of the Birth of a Savior is not enough fun for the family. How pathetic to see images of that big guy in the sky mixed in with THE Big Guy in the sky as if sharing a Birthday with a fictitious character and giving him credit for the gifts would be pleasing to the Lord. Jesus wants us to be joyful! I’m confident that He had plenty of fun with His friends and family, too! After all, His first miracle was performed at a wedding feast where he turned the water into wine.

The Bible says that there is ” nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful.” Having a great celebration is NOT the problem…and neither are the gifts. It’s the mixing together of the message of Hope…our Savior…our Redeemer…in with all those things that take the focus off of Him and onto the world…NOW that’s a problem. We don’t stand out to the lost world by saying “Merry Christmas” – we stand out to the lost world by making SURE that the world knows Who we Celebrate…and nothing else.

I’m excited about celebrating Christmas with my family in just a few days, and we’ll definitely have lots of fun! The farmhouse is decorated for the Occasion but you won’t find Santa hats or any other sign of him in the middle of our celebration of the Birth of the King of Kings. There will be plenty of gifts from the heart and a feast fit for our King….after all, it IS His birthday! We’ll laugh…and laugh, that’s for sure. But my tribe will NEVER lose sight of Who we celebrate, and we’ll be giving Thanks to Him for every gift…especially the BIGGEST Gift that He was born to give…the gift of Love, and Hope, Redemption, and Forgiveness so that we can have Eternal Life with Him. Now THAT’S something to celebrate, Amen?

MERRY CHRISTMAS, WORLD.

“The greatest of these is love.”