Christmas Card

Dear Friends and Family,

Tis the time of year when the stores are filled with Christmas items, decorations, gift baskets, and everything in-between. The televisions have holiday shows one after another and radio’s fill the airways with holiday music. Most of us are sitting inside away from the cold, but secretly wishing for a white Christmas.
The last few days I’ve to enjoyed snow-days, when school is closed and the roads are packed with ice and snow. It is a wonderful time to scoop the drive, sit by the warm heat with a cup of my favorite hot chocolate, and make my very own snow angels in the backyard.
The year is going by quickly and I start to think about holiday plans and even plans for the upcoming year. School is wonderful, for those who don’t know, I’m teaching down in the Ozarks in southwest Missouri. It is taking a lot of time to get use to the area, but my fifth grade students and cheerleaders are magnificent. All is well. Over Thanksgiving my sister, brother-in-law, and my nephew John (14months of age) came to my parents’ in southwest Iowa. The weather was breathtaking; we spent a lot of time outside soaking up the fall air. We will all be joining together at my parents’ again this Christmas season. Being farther away from home makes me appreciate the opportunity to spend time with my family, friends, and all the things I feel I left behind to go on to the next stage in my life as I start my career in education.
Christmas is a great time to bring families together, many people focus on the gift giving and the real spirit of Christmas has faded in to the background. Suppose you could give a gift to Christ, what would it be? I caught Red Boots for Christmas, a children’s Christmas cartoon on television just yesterday. An older shoemaker has been visited by and angel and told that he going to be given a great gift from God. In return he wanted to give something back to God. He went all over town to find the best gift he could. When he couldn’t find it he decided to make the best pair of shoes with only the best materials he had. On Christmas he was prepared to give that gift to God, the best gift he could. God didn’t come to him like he thought. There was a little girl, homeless, cold, and wearing a hole filled pair of shoes while walking through the snow. The shoemaker ran inside to get the boots from the window. He gave the red, spectacular boots, the best he has ever made, to the little girl.
How could you possibly select a gift for the One who not only has everything, but who made everything? The Wise Men did. They, like the man in the movie, can be an example to us this holiday season and all year round. In addition to the gold, frankincense, and myrrh, they gave the Savior some gifts we can still give him today: hope, time, and worship. The wise men came to seek Christ, to give their gifts, show their presence so that we can do the same. You will seek him and find him when you seek him with all your heart. (Deuteronomy 4:29) Christmas has taken a turn in the wrong direction. The reason for the season isn’t a jam-packed stores and gifts overflowing under neither the tree. It is a birthday celebration to share with the world. Think of the gift you want to give to each other out of love and friendship, but also think about the gifts you can give because of the love of Christ to those you don’t even know. The reason for the Christmas season is Christ.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year,


Kris