Don't you just love Christmas? I do! I love the Christmas trees with their blinking lights, ornaments, and tensil. And that's not all! I love the beautiful music and the delicious Christmas candy and cookies. I love Christmas dinner of turkey and dressing with all of the trimmings. I love all of the parties -- and visiting with family and friends. And, of course I love the presents -- both the ones I give and the ones I receive. Especially the ones I receive! Hmmm... Can you think of anything I have left out? Oh yes! It's someone's birthday, isn't it? Whose birthday is it? That's right! It is Jesus' birthday. You know, sometimes we get so caught up in all of the decorations, lights, parties, and presents that we miss the real Christmas.That reminds me of a story I heard about a little boy who had always wanted to go to a circus. One day he was walking down the street when he saw a poster in a store window. The poster said that a circus was coming to town and that a ticket to the circus cost one dollar. The boy ran home and asked his daddy if he would give him a dollar to go to the circus on Saturday. His daddy told him that if he would work hard and get all of his chores done, he would give him a dollar to go to the circus. Saturday morning came and the boy got up early and did all of his chores.
"I have all of my chores done," the boy told his dad.
The boy's father gave him a dollar and the boy headed into town filled with excitement about seeing wild animals, trapeze artists, and all of the things that come with a circus. Since he arrived in town so early, he was on the front row when the circus parade started down the main street of town. The boy was thrilled when the animals and other circus acts paraded by him.
At the end of the parade came the clowns and following the clowns was the ringmaster. When the ringmaster passed by where he was standing, the boy ran out into the street, took his folded dollar bill from his pocket, and handed it to the ringmaster.
"Thanks," mister, said the boy, "that was a great circus!" Then he turned around and walked home. He never knew what he had missed. He thought he had been to the circus, but he had only been to the parade.
This year, I hope that we won't be like that little boy. I hope we won't get so caught up in all of the celebration of the season that we miss the real Christmas. I hope we wont miss the birthday of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7 (NIV)
