Have you ever wondered why so many things have changed over the years and not always for the better?

I remember a time when it didn’t matter if the Christmas cards you sent and received said Happy Holidays, Seasons Greetings or Merry Christmas as they all meant the very same thing.  They meant that you wanted to send love and well wishes to all the people you care about during that special time of year when we gather together to celebrate the joyous birth of our Lord and Savior.   I used to look so forward to designing our Christmas card but now,  when I work on choosing the template, I tend to steer clear of the ones that don’t say Merry Christmas for fear I’ll end up offending someone.  Is that really how things should be?  Is that really how Christ would want it?  Do you really believe the power of His existence is dependent on what words you use to address others in the days leading up to the celebration of His birth?

And then there’s the horrific, plain and non-Christmas like red cups from the retailer that, in the past, has provided “Christmas-ier” designs.  What an outrage!  Really people???  It’s a red cup.  It holds ridiculously expensive beverages some people feel they cannot live without and it’s being scrutinized up one side and down the other for being too simplistic.  The day I let the design, or lack there of, on a disposable cup ruin my day or force me to believe it’s a political issue is the day I hope someone slaps me silly!

I realize Christ is being forced out of places He has always been welcome but do you really believe it’s stopping Him or slowing His pace in any way?   It’s okay if you do but I choose to believe He’s unstoppable.  I choose to believe His presence has been, is and will always be a part of all who believe.  There may be a bunch of non-believers “getting their way” and poisoning even the most innocent of minds but their war will never be won.  It will rage on however, and it will do it’s best to convince us that only certain words are acceptable on our Christmas cards when in reality, all pleasant wishes are acceptable.  It will stir up a ton of controversy over something as insignificant as a paper cup and it will make you wonder why you ever allowed yourself to be consumed by something that never had anything to do with Christ and His never ending love for all of us.   Christ lives in your heart.  Christ lives in my heart.  Since the very moment of His blessed birth He became a part of each and every one of us.

Let’s do each other a very special favor this holiday season.  Let’s try to remember to love one another.  Let’s try to not get caught up in all the turmoil the media loves to create and let’s take a very whimsical approach to our thinking with special thanks to Dr Suess because we all know…..

It will come without ribbons. It will come without tags. It will come without packages, boxes or bags. And we’ll puzzle and puzzle ’till our puzzlers are sore. Then we’ll all think of something we hadn’t before.  Christmas, we’ll know, doesn’t come from a store.  Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”