Merry Christmas! (Notice I did NOT say Happy Holidays.) I am on my own personal, even though not really original, mission to put Christ back in Christmas. There are no words for the fact that the people who benefit most from this holiday, (merchants and Hollywood), are the ones who have decided to make it generic for us! I promise you, if Christians started telling these stores that we were not buying any more gifts from them because of their secularization of Christmas, or going to see their “Christmas movies” they would all turn on a dime. But really. It gets down to the fact that we should be focusing on Jesus so much that what the stores do would be immaterial. I am telling them all “Merry Christmas” after they wish me Happy Holidays.
My favorite verse for Christmas time is Isaiah 9:6. I learned this verse many years ago while teaching sixth grade Sunday School. It was our memory passage for December and I learned it with the kids.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.