Christmas Again.................Already?

Christmas comes and goes.............................lights, trees, homemade ornaments, children's eyes, candles, quiet, excitement, more candles, candy canes, peanut brittle, banana bread, gifts, bows, string, ribbons, tape, tape, tape, wrapping paper, surprises, company, deliveries, relatives, friends, strangers, late nights, early mornings, special secrets, whispering being done by everyone, singing, carols, music, Santa Claus, Christ Child, reindeer, sleigh, snow, snowman, cookies, pictures, stockings, blinking lights, icicles, cold temps, the star, wisemen, shephards, stables, the inn...............................I can tell you a story about each one of these items and how it affected our family and not even repeat one. 

In all the years that I have lived my most favorite Christmas is the one that is about to happen.  Because we have to work at giving that one HARD gift.  I want you to think about that.........................there is someone around you, maybe a neighbor, maybe a co-worker, maybe a family member, maybe a stranger that is HARD for you or me to give a "gift" to.  That is the giving challenge of Christmas.  Sometimes we are having a lean year so we have to be more creative in our "giving", and that makes it more memorable.  Christmas time makes me laugh and cry, laughing for the joyous feelings that we have and cry for the very same thing.  Crying for the child that somehow got left out, or the hurt that one caused and didn't realize.  Laughing for the excitement of seeing a small child that isn't afraid of Santa, or the funny gift that your child can come up with for a parent, or the realization that comes to a child when they finally understand the MAGIC!
My challenge to you is be as the wisemen and no matter what obstacles are in the way of that one giving moment, search it out and do it..........................see what happens!