December 11th, 2023 Monday Motivator

What is Christmas to you?

We all know Christmas can be a VERY busy season. Between the hustle and bustle of shopping, wrapping, decorating, cooking, and planning, it can easily become overwhelming.

Amid the busyness, we forget to pause and reflect on what Christmas really is and why we do everything we do.

Christmas, to me, is more than gifts under the tree.

It’s more than stockings full of goodies. It’s more than cooking everyone’s favorite sides that you only cook once a year.

It’s more than sitting around with loved ones, drinking hot chocolate, and watching Christmas movies.

While all those things are great and fun traditions, Christmas means even more to me.

It’s about celebrating the one true gift that made way for every tangible gift we get to enjoy in our lives: Jesus.

It’s about looking around at the smiles on your children’s and grandchildren’s faces and saying, “Thank you, Jesus, for gifting me with this family.”

It’s about the laughs you share and the memories you make with friends and family that day, saying, “Thank you, Jesus, for the joy you give.”

It’s about noticing that even if you didn’t have one thing under the tree, you still have all you need to celebrate Christmas, and that’s Jesus.

It’s recognizing that one day, because of a moment that happened years ago in history, you can now spend eternity with the Father. When Jesus was born, He was the gift God the Father gave for all to receive and experience the God kind of life filled with joy, peace, freedom, and purpose.

Why is this question so important to ask yourself? Because If we forget the true meaning of Christmas, the season will quickly become burdensome with all its traditions. It will become restless instead of peaceful. Dreadful instead of joyful.

But if we keep our hearts and eyes on the true meaning of Christmas, we can’t help but be filled with joy and peace.

As we approach December 25th, 2023, ask yourself: What is Christmas to you? I challenge you to see where your heart is really at. Hopefully, it’s on the true meaning of Christmas—Jesus.