Merry Christmas with Love

If you have not read this little book by Chris Shea, I encourage you to find a copy for yourself. It has such a sweetness about the pictures and the words. I pull it out of my Christmas closet and read it every year. In case you can't find it or don't have time, thought I would share it right here. In all the busy-ness of December it gets easy to be overwhelmed with our "to do" list and forget about this simple message.

God has blessed us forever. That is what Christmas is all about.

The nature of Christmas is giving...because it all began with a Gift. A gift that can only be received, a gift that brought Joy to the world, a Gift that came special delivery. As promised, God sent His best, and the sky and the stars gave the world's first baby shower. (God knew they couldn't afford announcements so he lent them a star, the only nightlight with a lifetime guarantee.)

Christmas has a radiance all its own and even unplugged could illuminate the world. (Two thousand years later God leaves the Light on still.)

Then through a tiny door every creature saw it, the enormous gift of eternal Love, and all who entered knew they stood upon the very floor of Heaven. This was the touch of Christmas: the simple became the sacred. Even the world's first masterpiece was only framed in straw. Who but God would think of sending a Message and wrapping it in swaddling clothes? Who but God knew it would take the heart of a child to reach the soul of the world?

God is Love. Christmas is proof: for only from the heart of God could such a one as Jesus come...such a tiny little son who would grow to comfort all the world, a Savior to look up to who would never look down on us.

Jesus...our best, our ever friend.

Peace on earth began in a manger, the Christmas Presence asleep in the hay.

May the simple beauty of Christmas take your breath away. May you taste the love in every Christmas cookie, hear joy in every Christmas song, feel warmth in every Christmas present; and in the midst of all the celebration, may you make room for Peace.

Merry Christmas, With Love