Having a Hard Christmas? Think of What Jesus Went Through on His Birthday.

It is Christmas Day! That means you are opening presents with family and friends. Maybe it is just you and your spouse. It might be that you are alone.

 What does this day really mean to you? Do the presents make your day? Do you wish you had more presents? Did you not get the ones you wanted? Was there not enough money to buy all the presents you wanted to buy?

 Let me tell you about the first Christmas Day. It was a birthday for the King of Kings.

 Joseph and Mary were very tired. They had travel afar looking for a place to stay. They had no food. There were no McDonalds at the corner. The clothes they had on were all that they had. All of the Inns were full. Mary was ready to give birth. The last place they checked said they could stay in the barn with the animals.

 During the night Mary gave birth to little baby Jesus. Now remember there are no doctors, or nurses helping Mary give birth. There is just Joseph and some animals watching on. Mary was alone giving birth. (Yes, God was there. He is for all births.) All they had for him to lay in was a manger with some straw in it.  Webster’s Dictionary gives this definition for a manger. “A manger is a place where animals come to eat.”

 Can you imagine the filth, and grim that this barn must have had in it? The cattle had been eating out of the manger that Jesus laid in, and you can guess the animals in the barn were leaving messes to smell.

Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes. That is just strips of cloth to keep the baby from moving. No Gymboree stores near by to get the right things needed.

 Here is our future Savior coming into the world extremely poor, and without anything to His name. He father was a carpenter. He got jobs when he could, but there wasn’t a lot of extra money for food and clothing.

 Now fast forward to today, Christmas of 2009.

 Can you feel happy with what you have? God has provided many things for us you and I take for granted. Be thankful for the roof over your head; the closet full of clothes; the refrigerator with food in it; the car in the garage to get you to work. Oh, and by the way, the job that you drive the car to.

 I sometimes get caught up in my own pity party, when I see some of the fancy things people show me they received for Christmas. The new 25 foot fishing boat. The 53 inch HD TV. The new Lexus SUV in the driveway.

 Then I do what I am asking YOU to do. Think back when Jesus had His first birthday. I am then thankful for all the bounty that God has given me that I do not deserve.

 We have so much more to be thankful for.

 I know… times are tough! You may have lost your job. You may not have enough money this year to buy presents. Maybe you’re in jeopardy of losing your home. The battle you are having with your addictions seems to be pulling you under for the third and last time.

 This is where you call on the strength of God to help you through the storm. Pray to Him to show you the way out of the muck and mire.  

 I have been to the bottom of those pits of despair. I have knocked at the door of wanting to end my life. I couldn’t see any happy ending in the near future. BUT! God stepped in and showed me how much He loved me, and how important His Son Jesus Christ is in my life.

 I still have struggles, but on this Christmas day for 2009, I am so thankful for the wonderful things in my life. My wife, my children and grandchildren. I am blessed to still have my mother with me at the young age of 92.

 I am a retired teacher, so let me give you a “happy,” assignment. Sit down today, right now, and list all the things in your life that you are thankful for. Don’t stop at ten. Keep listing them until you feel the joy swell up in your heart.

 You may have to get very basic. There are the little things I am thankful for. Clear skies. White capped mountains here in Oregon. A beautiful Lake. Winter birds chirping outside my window. Wonderful neighbors. Good friends.

 You get the drift.

 Try to do this list BEFORE you meet with family and friends. Then you will have a wonderful day no matter what obstacles pop up during the day.

 Make this Christmas one to remember. The one where you found the joy of the many blessings you have around you. Tell others how much you love them. Share your time with some people who aren’t as well off as you are. That will change their outlook on Christmas and make them happy. (You know what? Helping someone else makes you happy too.)

 In closing, may our God give you far more than you ever dreamed of for now and in the coming year. May He hold you in His arms and love you and keep you warm through the storms ahead. God never said He would keep us away from the storms, but He will help calm them for you.

Have Blessed day and….

 Merry CHRISTmas!